Efforts underway to abate rising air pollution in Ghaziabad city

Ghaziabad city is already listed under the list of 16 non-attainment cities in the state that suffers from high levels of air pollution. In April, the city ranked as the second-most polluted city in the world after Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, out of 6,475 cities across the world under the World Air Quality Report 2021, an annual report prepared by Switzerland-based organisation IQAir

Barring the year 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic began, the air quality in Ghaziabad city has not been the best in the past four years.

Ghaziabad residents say that there is a clear lack of coordination among the different departments when it comes to dealing with air pollution. (Sakib Ali/ HT)

According to available data from the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), the levels of particulate matter (PM) 10 and PM 2.5 have failed to come down below the standard limits. UPPCB officials said that they are continuing with their efforts to abate the rising pollution.

The figures indicate that average air quality index (AQI) in 2019 stood at 265 during the five-month period from January to May, while it stood at 201 for the same period in 2020, a year which was largely affected with the pandemic and also witnessed lockdowns with restrictions on the movement of people and operation of industrial units. The average AQI levels during the same period stood at 271 in 2021, while the levels dipped to an average of 245 during the first five months of 2022.

“The levels have dipped a bit in 2022 (during the five-month period). We are adhering to the directions given by the commission for the sub-committee on Graded Response Action Plan (Grap), which is a set of measures taken to reduce air pollution depending on the current levels of pollution. The major source is dust, which originates from outside sources as well as internal sources. Vehicular emission is also a major factor,” said Utsav Sharma, UPPCB regional officer.

Earlier in May, the sub-committee directed different agencies to intensify dust control measures such as mechanised sweeping on roads with heavy traffic, enforcement of dust mitigation measures at construction sites and construction and debris (C&D) sites, besides intensifying enforcement of emission norms in industrial units.

The highest PM 10 levels in the past four years was 289 in 2021, while the highest PM 2.5 levels were also in the same year at 137.

Ghaziabad city is already listed under the list of 16 non-attainment cities in the state that suffers from high levels of air pollution. In April, the city ranked as the second-most polluted city in the world after Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, out of 6,475 cities across the world under the World Air Quality Report 2021, an annual report prepared by Switzerland-based organisation IQAir.

“Different agencies in the city are working towards abating the pollution levels. For instance, the Ghaziabad municipal corporation is working towards creation of mini forests and also taking up road sweeping work and water sprinkling. Likewise, UPPCB has also stepped-up enforcement against illegal industrial units violating pollution norms,” Sharma added.

Ghaziabad residents said that there is a clear lack of coordination among the different departments when it comes to dealing with air pollution.

“The agencies lack coordination and curbing pollution is not a priority even though the city has fared badly over the years. It is also surprising that we have not come across any proposal in the corporation board in which there is serious thinking about the ways to tackle pollution. Simply deploying road sweeping machines and sprinkling water will not help,” said Himanshu Mittal, councillor from Kavi Nagar.

The corporation last year received funds to the tune of ₹61.5 crore specifically meant for tackling air pollution. This year, the agency has received ₹15 crore as first instalment for the current financial year.

“If things go the way they are, it is impossible to think that the PM 10 and PM 2.5 levels will ever fall below the standard limits in the coming years. Two major sources — vehicular pollution and illegal industrial units — should be tackled first. The city also requires Grap measures throughout the year along with strict enforcement,” said Akash Vashistha, a Ghaziabad-based environmentalist and a lawyer.