Bhopal, May 28 -- Despite the evening showers on Tuesday, ground-level ozone (GLO) levels at TT Nagar, the city's ozone hotspot, averaged 163 parts per billion (ppb)-over three times the national safe limit of 50 ppb.
On May 20, concentrations in the area peaked at above 250 ppb, triggered by blazing sunshine and high temperatures that fuel photochemical reactions. Civic officials had hoped that today's rain and cloud cover would bring respite. But GLO levels remain alarmingly high, deepening concerns over both public health and the environment.
Unlike most pollutants, GLO isn't emitted directly. It forms when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react under strong sunlight. Typically, rain and reduced solar radiati...