VARANASI: The Central Pollution Control Board reported an air quality index of 143 for Varanasi on Tuesday, October 27, at 16:00 IST, up from 130 at the same time on Monday, October 26. The city remained in the Moderate category, with all four monitoring stations contributing to Tuesday's published figure.
For residents in Ardhali Bazar and elsewhere in Varanasi, the distinction between a city average and a neighbourhood reading matters. CPCB's station directory identifies an UPPCB monitoring site at Ardhali Bazar, but the October 27 bulletin gives a combined Varanasi result. It does not assign the score of 143 to that locality or to any individual station.
What changed in the latest bulletin
The October 27 CPCB bulletin lists both PM10 and PM2.5 as prominent pollutants for Varanasi. The October 26 bulletin listed PM10 alone. Both bulletins show four participating stations out of four, so the reported rise did not coincide with a change in the number of stations contributing.
| Bulletin time, IST | City AQI | Category | Prominent pollutants | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 26, 16:00 | 130 | Moderate | PM10 | 4 of 4 |
| October 27, 16:00 | 143 | Moderate | PM10 and PM2.5 | 4 of 4 |
The increase was 13 index points. CPCB places scores from 101 to 200 in the Moderate band, so the higher reading did not move Varanasi into a different category. The next category, Poor, begins at 201.
The bulletin describes its figures as averages of the preceding 24 hours. Tuesday's number is therefore a dated summary of air quality, rather than a measurement of conditions at every street corner at precisely 16:00. Nor is 143 a concentration reading for either of the two pollutants named in the table.
What the category means for residents
CPCB's health statement for the Moderate band identifies possible breathing discomfort for people with lung disease, asthma or heart disease. That is the board's category guidance, not a report that a particular number of Varanasi residents became ill on Tuesday.
The board also cautions that air quality can vary between monitoring locations. It says it uses a city average for simplicity while acknowledging the scientific limitations of that approach. A citywide label should therefore be read alongside station information when assessing conditions near home, work or a regular outdoor route.
Residents seeking a newer reading can use the live portal linked from CPCB's National Air Quality Index page. Check the displayed station and observation time before comparing it with the October 27 city bulletin. An individual station result and a city average describe different sets of observations.
Keep air quality and rain updates separate
Tuesday's air quality bulletin does not establish why the index rose or predict the next day's score. It supplies no Varanasi-specific attribution to a particular road, activity or source of emissions. No such explanation can be drawn from the two daily figures alone.
For other local public information, read our separate Varanasi rain alert for October 29. Earlier local coverage includes the September 26 school closure notice and health screening in Mangalpur. Those reports concern separate dates and issues; none changes the scope of this CPCB reading.
