Noida: After air quality turns severe, GRAP norms enforced by district administration

Brick kilns, hot-mix plants, stone crushers shut in Noida; 10 vendors fined for keeping building material in open.

The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration swung into action on Tuesday after the city’s air quality index (AQI) value edged higher in the ‘severe’ category. District magistrate has written to all departments concerned to immediately implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat pollution level.

The AQI in Noida touched 411 on Tuesday, with the major pollutant being PM2.5. On Monday, the AQI was at 403. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The AQI touched 411 on Tuesday, with the major pollutant being PM2.5. On Monday, the AQI was at 403.

The air quality is considered ‘severe’ when the AQI shoots beyond 401.

“We have asked all the departments to follow the NGT guidelines to control pollution. The UPPCB and other departments checked construction sites for materials kept in the open. We will be enforcing all measures under GRAP to combat the situation,” district magistrate BN Singh said.

Following the directive, officials of the Noida authority and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) visited various sites to ensure compliance.

Officials from the district supply office checked restaurants to ensure that no coal or wood is burnt in the open. The district increased the frequency of mechanised cleaning of roads, and started sprinkling water on dusty roads as well.

“Strict monitoring is necessary as meteorological conditions are not favourable for dispersal of particulate matter,” Utsav Sharma, assistant environment engineer, UPPCB, said.

Experts said dipping mercury and low wind speed over the past few days have kept pollutants dispersing.

A UPPCB official said the chairman of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) held a meeting with officials of pollution control board of neighbouring states and municipal authorities to discuss the issue.

The CPCB directed authorities to treat pollution, particularly caused by dust and burning of garbage, as an emergency and improve air quality within 45 days. Recently, the administration had appointed a nodal officer to update the CPCB on action taken to control pollution.