E-Paper
Gzb still most polluted city
Ghaziabad: Ghaziabad was the most polluted city in the country for a fourth consecutive day on Friday, with an air quality index (AQI) of 400 or ‘very poor’, on
Ghaziabad: Ghaziabad was the most polluted city in the country for a fourth consecutive day on Friday, with an air quality index (AQI) of 400 or ‘very poor’, on a scale of 0 to 500.
Since October 15, Ghaziabad had topped the pollution charts on October 16 and 24, again on October 27, 29, 30, and 31, and then on November 2, 14,15, 19, 20 and 21.
“We have been carrying out regular drives in Loni against illegal factories and illegal e-waste dumping.The issues there are also compounded by unpaved and dusty roads. Due to all these pollution levels have remained high in Loni and is also affecting the overall average of Ghaziabad,” Utsav Sharma, regional officer, UPPCB, said.
“Overall, the average AQI of Ghaziabad is almost on a par with other areas of NCR but the areas of Loni and Sanjay Nagar are causing the AQI figures to surge,” he said.
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), till November 3, the Ghaziabad city accounted for about 12% of all complaints related to unpaved roads, 13.8% of all complaints related to road dust and 5.2% of total complaints related to traffic congestion.
The report also mentions that the pollution hot spot of Sahibabad is affected by unpaved roads, road dust, open dumping of waste and construction & demolition waste.
“Agencies like CPCB and the Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority should make Ghaziabad a focus area and issue some special directions to curb pollution. High pollution levels have become a regular feature in Ghaziabad,” Akash Vashishtha, a city based environmentalist, sad.
The officials of the IMD said conditions are likely to improve as the wind speed is likely to pick up from November 23.
