Gurugram air quality worst in last 10 days, likely to hit ‘severe’ level by November-end

Gurugram has, however, remained the least polluted city in Delhi-NCR for two whole weeks thanks to a combined effect of its geographic position and prevailing meteorological conditions.

Air pollution in Gurugram reached a 10-day peak on Wednesday, with the city recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 345, indicating ‘very poor’ air (up from 302 on Tuesday).

A cyclerickshaw puller on Gurugram-Basai road, near Sector 10, on Wednesday morning, November 21, 2018. (Yogendra Kumar/HT Photo)

The concentration of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), the most widespread pollutant, touched 399ug/m3 in the Vikas Sadan area in Sector 11 (adjacent to NH-48) and was higher in the Gwal Pahari area (near the Delhi-Faridabad-Gurugram border) where it was as high as 490ug/m3.

The level of PM10 in Gwal Pahari was 453ug/m3. The safe limit for PM2.5 and PM10, according to the Central Pollution Control Board, is an average of 60ug/m3 and 100ug/m3, respectively, per day.

“A steady dip in atmospheric temperature over the last five days is responsible for this,” said Kuldeep Singh, regional officer (Gurugram), Haryana State Pollution Control Board. He also explained that easterly winds have been translocating pollutants from the Capital and Uttar Pradesh toward Rajasthan for the last five days.

“Gurugram lies between these regions, so there is no surprise that we are seeing a deterioration in air quality,” Singh said.

According to an environmental scientist, also a former member of the Environmental Pollution Control Authority, said the pollution pattern has derailed over the last 10 days.

“Air quality improved suddenly after Diwali because wind speeds shifted unexpectedly and mitigated the effect of stubble burning and firecrackers. However, we are now seeing an increase again, and this time, it is being caused by local pollutants,” he said.

Pollution is expected to worsen as the IMD officials have predicted a fall in the minimum temperature to 10 degrees Celsius in the next two days. Air quality is likely to worsen to ‘severe’ levels by November-end.

In Gurugram’s Gwal Pahari area, where a second air quality monitor has been placed, air quality has remained considerably worse than in Vikas Sadan, the site of the HSPCB’s first monitoring unit. “This is because of Gwal Pahari’s proximity to Delhi and Faridabad, and also because the area is dissected by the Gurgaon-Faridabad road, which is used by diesel-run goods trucks,” said Singh.

Gurugram has, however, remained the least polluted city in Delhi-NCR for two whole weeks thanks to a combined effect of its geographic position and prevailing meteorological conditions.