Noida’s air quality deteriorates to ‘poor’ category as winter sets in

Meanwhile, Greater Noida recorded an AQI of 257, remaining in the ‘poor’ category, while nearby Ghaziabad had an AQI of 190, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category

The air quality in Noida deteriorated to the ‘poor’ category, with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 204, while the minimum temperature in Gautam Budh Nagar settled at 21.3 degrees, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India).

As per Safar-India, the PM 2.5 concentration at present in Noida is 5.2 times above the recommended limit given by the WHO 24-hour guidelines value. (Representative Image)

According to AQI scale, readings between 0 and 50 are considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 are ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 are ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 are ‘poor’, 301 and 400 are ‘very poor’, and 401 and 450 are ‘severe’. The AQI is considered ‘severe+’ , when it exceeds 450.

Meanwhile, Greater Noida recorded an AQI of 257, remaining in the ‘poor’ category, while nearby Ghaziabad had an AQI of 190, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category.

As per Safar-India, the PM 2.5 concentration at present in Noida is 5.2 times above the recommended limit given by the WHO 24-hour guidelines value.

Meanwhile, environmental experts attributed the oncoming winter season in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), as the reason for the air quality to deteriorate.

Local environmentalist Vikrant Tongad said, “The air quality begins to deteriorate in the Delhi-NCR as winter sets in. The cooler air tends to trap pollutants closer to the ground, leading to the formation of a dense, toxic smog layer in the atmosphere, exacerbating air pollution.”

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature in Gautam Budh Nagar was recorded at 21.3 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature was 30.0 degrees Celsius on Monday.

Environmental experts also asserted the need to implement stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) in the city to address the deteriorating air quality. “The temperatures will further drop and this will ultimately result in deterioration of the air quality and thus, authorities must consider enforcing stage 2 of Grap in the near future”, added Tongad.

Grap classifies actions into four stages: Stage I - ‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300), Stage II - ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301-400), Stage III - ‘Severe’ (AQI 401-450), and Stage IV - ‘Severe Plus’ (AQI > 450).

Stage 2 of GRAP, which applies when the AQI is between 301 and 400 (very poor), involves activities like mechanical sweeping, regular water sprinkling, inspection of construction and demolition sites, ensuring uninterrupted power supply to discourage the use of diesel gensets, deploying traffic personnel at intersections, issuing alerts through newspapers, TV, and radio regarding dos and don’ts, running electric buses and metro services, and more.

The IMD has predicted that the districts’ minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to settle at around 20.0 degrees Celsius and 32.0 degrees Celsius, with a possibility of a partly cloudy sky and one or two spells of rain/thunderstorms until October 20. Additionally, fog/mist is expected in the morning on October 21 and 22.

To address air pollution, the regional pollution board has taken action against erring units operating in parts of Noida and Greater Noida. The pollution board-initiated action against ten establishments for violating GRAP stage 1 guidelines, imposing a fine of ₹50,000 on each.

Subsequently, a substantial penalty of ₹29.40 lakh was imposed on 25 establishments in Noida, which were found to be contributing to air pollution by flouting various guidelines.