Of all polluted cities in UP, Noida and Greater Noida register the best improvement

Both industrial districts – Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida and Greater Noida) and Ghaziabad – had been consistently listed as the most polluted cities of the country, with excessively high concentration of particulate pollutants.

With the 21-day nationwide lockdown bringing to a halt vehicular movement across cities and also shutting industries, both polluting and otherwise, the air quality has markedly improved, especially in Noida and Greater Noida, a recent analysis of major cities of Uttar Pradesh shows.

Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO

Both industrial districts – Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida and Greater Noida) and Ghaziabad – had been consistently listed as the most polluted cities of the country, with excessively high concentration of particulate pollutants.

The analysis done by Greenpeace India compared the levels PM2.5 – particles in air with a diameter less than 2.5 microns – of seven top polluted cities of the state for the period from March 24 to April 4 for the years 2020 and 2019.

While all cities have shown a reduction in PM2.5, the drop in Greater Noida is 68.83%, Noida 65.87%, Ghaziabad 65.75%, Agra 58.92%, Lucknow 55.25%, Kanpur 50.25% and Varanasi 46.96%. Greenpeace India procured its data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the apex body for monitoring ambient air quality in the country.

“This analysis clearly shows humane activities such as burning fossil fuel, transport sector, and the energy sector contribute significantly to particulate matter in cities and it can be controlled by transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables,” said the Greenpeace India analysis.

It added that PM2.5 is the major pollutant that causes serious health risks such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and lung cancer.

According to the report, the average concentration of PM2.5 for Greater Noida was 26.98 microgrammes per cubic meters (Ug/m3) for period between March 24 and April 4, 2020, against 86.56 Ug/m3 for the same period last year.

The average concentration for Noida was 29.80 Ug/m3 this year against 85.40 Ug/m3 last year. The average concentration of PM2.5 for the given period for Ghaziabad was 35.74 Ug/m3 against 104.40 Ug/m3 last year.

The safe limit for PM2.5 is 60 Ug/m3, according to the national standards, while the World Health Organization keeps it 25 Ug/m3.

“Although we are seeing a reduction in air pollution across cities owing to the lockdown, we should not see it as a relief. The changes are very temporary, and will not contribute much to the annual average pollution levels. Once the lockdown ends, the pollution will increase again,” Avinash Chanchal, senior campaigner, Greenpeace India, said.