Pollution ‘severe’ in Ghaziabad, PM10 level touches 408

The pre-Diwali pollution levels in Ghaziabad in 2015, (for PM10) stood at 167 mpcm at Model Town monitoring station. The same station recorded PM10 at 350 mpcm a day before Diwali in 2016.

The air quality in Ghaziabad turned ‘severe’ on Wednesday, a day before Diwali, putting government officials on alert.

Pollution is a huge problem in Delhi and NCR (Mohd Zakir/HT PHOTO)

The air quality index for Noida too touched the ‘very poor’ category according to the daily air quality index (AQI) report from the Central Pollution Control Board.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board AQI report at 4pm on Wednesday, Ghaziabad’s PM10 levels stood at 408 micrograms per cubic metre (mpcm), second only to Bhiwadi in Rajasthan which recorded PM10 at 446 mpcm. The AQI readings for 38 cities were monitored and released on the CPCB website.

The acceptable limit for PM10 pollutant in the air is 100 mpcm.

The pre-Diwali pollution levels in Ghaziabad in 2015, (for PM10) stood at 167 mpcm at Model Town monitoring station. The same station recorded PM10 at 350 mpcm a day before Diwali in 2016.

The other monitoring station at Vasundhara had registered pre-Diwali PM10 level at 136 mpcm in 2015 and 320 mpcm in 2016.

Officials said this was the first time in the last few years when Ghaziabad’s pollution levels have touched ‘severe’ levels. According to AQI, the ‘severe’ level of pollution “affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases.”

Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board regional officer Ajay Sharma and Ghaziabad district magistrate Ritu Maheshwari were not available for a comment.

However, Sunita Narayan, Environment Pollution Control Authority member and director of the Centre for Science and Environment, said,“If the pollution level in Ghaziabad moves to severe, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we can say that the pollution level in Delhi was ‘severe’ too. Any actions under the graded action plan will be implemented by Delhi pollution control committee and Environment Pollution Control Authority.”