Gurugram: Worst air of season, just short of ‘very poor’

Gurugram: Air quality hit a low this season on Thursday, with the city recording a reading of 294 (poor) on the air quality index (AQI), as per the Central Pollution

Gurugram: Air quality hit a low this season on Thursday, with the city recording a reading of 294 (poor) on the air quality index (AQI), as per the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily bulletin. This is just short of the ‘very poor’ mark, when bans on the use of diesel generators and construction are supposed to kick in, as per directions of the Environmental Pollution Control Authority (Epca). According to experts and officials, the city’s AQI may plummet to the ‘emergency’ category after Friday.

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Concentrations of major pollutants — carbon monoxide, PM2.5, ozone and nitrogen oxide — exceeded the safe limits on Thursday, with a PM2.5 concentration of 350ug/m3, almost six times the safe limit of 60ug/m3 (and 35 times the World Health Organisation’s safe limit of 10ug/m3).

Experts and officials attributed the sharp spike in pollution to a change in wind directions. “Until now, pollution levels in Gurugram were low because of westerly and northerly winds that were successfully dispersing the particulate matter from the city. Today, the wind has been blowing from the east and pollutants are being transported into the city, not away from it,” a senior scientist with the CPCB’s air quality lab in Delhi said.

However, despite Gurugram’s air quality plummeting, the city was the least polluted city among major NCR towns. Noida, Ghaziabad and Delhi all recorded ‘very poor’ air on Thursday, with AQIs of 319, 335 and 311, respectively.

Neighbouring Manesar, which is generally more polluted than Gurugram, had an AQI score of 253. “The effect of change in meteorology should manifest in Manesar soon. Pollution levels will go up tomorrow,” said independent air quality expert Sachin Panwar.

Meanwhile, a decision on Haryana’s request for relaxation of the ban on diesel generators could not be arrived at on Thursday. A meeting between NCR states and Epca was delayed on account of the state elections in Haryana, said an official privy to the matter. “As of now, Epca has not lifted the ban on diesel generators. If a decision is not made within the next few days and air quality in Gurugram touches ‘very poor’, the HSPCB is technically bound to enforce the ban,” the official said.