After 22 days, air quality plummets in Ghaziabad, Greater Noida and Noida

The three cities last experienced “very poor” AQI on November 23. The AQI that day in Noida was 322, in Greater Noida 307, and in Ghaziabad 339, according to the CPCB bulletin

After enjoying better air quality for the past 22 days since November 23, residents in the cities of Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad saw the air quality worsen on Monday to “very poor” category.

The deterioration in AQI has been the result of unfavourable meteorological conditions in Ghaziabad/Noida region. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The daily 4pm bulletin of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Monday showed that air quality index (AQI) of Noida was 323, while that of Greater Noida was 358 and Ghaziabad 324 -- all readings falling under the “very poor” category of the AQI scale. The AQI in Delhi on Monday was recorded at 379, also under the “very poor” category.

The three cities last experienced “very poor” AQI on November 23. The AQI that day in Noida was 322, in Greater Noida 307, and in Ghaziabad 339, according to the CPCB bulletin. Since then, the AQI in the three cities has ranged from “satisfactory” to “poor” until Monday (December 16), when it plummeted to “very poor”.

Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) officials said the deterioration in air quality was mainly due to unfavourable meteorological conditions.

According to the AQI scale, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, 401 and 450 “severe” and above 450 “severe plus”.

According to the figures complied by the UPPCB, Ghaziabad city experienced 12 “very poor” AQI days in the month of December in 2023, 10 in December, 2022 and 13 in December, 2021.

On the other hand, Noida experienced 16 “very poor” days in the month of December in 2023, 17 in December, 2022 and 12 in December, 2021.

This December, the three cities experienced a rare “satisfactory” AQI. The one “satisfactory” day for Greater Noida and Noida was on December 9 while it was December 11 for Ghaziabad city.

Environmentalists said meteorological conditions mostly decided the air quality in NCR.

“When meteorological factors such as wind speed, etc. turn unfavourable, the real picture of pollution in NCR cities come to the fore. Enforcement against local pollution sources is hardly seen on a daily basis. NCR cities grapple with the issue of bad and dusty roads, traffic congestions and huge numbers of vehicles. There is absolutely no control over these issues,” said Sushil Raghav, a city-based environmentalist.