Noida, Ghaziabad suffer year’s highest PM10 and PM2.5 levels during Nov 4 to 6

Ghaziabad: Noida, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida have fared badly in terms of PM10 and PM2.5 levels as the two primary pollutants were recorded at their highest levels

Ghaziabad: Noida, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida have fared badly in terms of PM10 and PM2.5 levels as the two primary pollutants were recorded at their highest levels at most of the monitoring stations in the three cities during the past three days, from November 4 to 6.

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According to data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the PM10 levels at 10 monitoring stations in the three cities spiked up to seven times the standard limits while the PM2.5 levels peaked to up to almost eight times the permissible limits during the period when the air pollution levels started deteriorating.

Officials of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) have indicated that the situation is more or less likely to remain same till Diwali. “The prevailing conditions are likely to remain more or less same till Diwali. There will be low wind speeds in range of 8-10 km per hour and the wind direction is likely to change to easterly around November 10-11. Thereafter, one-two days period will see less wind speed and by this time Diwali will arrive,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head of regional weather forecasting centre, IMD.

Starting November 4, Noida, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida have witnessed rising pollution levels with thick pollution cover engulfing the three cities.

CPCB’s data assessed by HT indicates that monitoring station of Loni in Ghaziabad recorded highest PM10 and PM2.5 levels in the city with figures of 732.30 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) and 456.59 ug/m3, respectively, during the period November 4 to 5, which is the highest this year so far.

During the same period, Noida’s Sector 125 monitoring station also recorded highest PM10 and PM2.5 levels at 721.37ug/m3 and 468.70 ug/m3, respectively. This is also the highest spike in the current year for any of the four stations in Noida city.

For Greater Noida, the highest PM10 levels of the current year were also recorded during the period November 4 to November 5 when the levels were at 612.34 ug/m3 at Knowledge Park V monitoring station. Greater Noida’s highest PM2.5 level of the current year was also recorded at 338.73 ug/m3 during the same period.

The standard limits for PM10 is 100 ug/m3 while for PM2.5 is 60 ug/m3.

“It is likely that the PM10 and PM2.5 levels will further spike during the days before Diwali festival and also during post-Diwali days. Bursting of crackers will have major impact on pollution levels at that time. So, authorities have to take up stringent measures to curb pollution levels at least at local level,” said Akash Vashishtha, a Ghaziabad-based environmentalist.

“Further, in case the authorities are contemplating any ban on firecrackers, they should be banned at least up to whole of January from November and not just during days of Diwali,” he added.

The officials of the UP pollution control board (UPPCB) said that they have intensified pollution abatement measures at local level. “We have intensified water sprinkling as well as increased vigilance at construction sites, besides continuing with regular measures in order to curb PM10 and PM2.5 levels as they have been high during the current peak,” said Praveen Kumar, regional officer of the UPPCB at Noida.

The Ghaziabad officials from the UPPCB said that conditions have largely worsened due to external factors. “The high levels of PM10 and PM2.5 have been observed during the past couple of days. External factors which also include effect of stubble burning have impacted air quality with 42% contribution as per SAFAR forecast on November 5. At local level, we have also intensified our pollution abatement measures and will seek more directions from the district administration to bring more stringent measures if possible,” said Utsav Sharma, regional officer of UPPCB at Ghaziabad.