No respite, NCR air still ‘poor’

Faridabad, November 16

Although the air quality in the city has improved in last few days, the PM2.5 level (particulate matter of 2.5 micrograms hanging in a cubic square metre of area) continues to be five to six times more than “safe” level of 50 or less, as per the daily data collected by the Central Pollution Control Board.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city has been in the “poor” or “very poor” category for the past five weeks. The AQI in the past 35 days in the city has been hovering between 230 and 425 according to officials concerned. The AQI in the period was in the “severe” category for seven days while it was in “very poor” and “poor” category for 17 and 11 days, respectively. The AQI was last recorded in “safe” category on October 10.

Today morning, the AQI was recorded at 264, which is 528 per cent higher than the “safe” level. Officials of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) said the prevailing conditions would continue until there was any change in weather conditions such as precipitation or rise in wind speed in the region.

The PM2.5 recorded this morning in other cities of the National Capital Region, including Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida and Delhi, was also in “poor” category. In other cities of Haryana, including Ballabgarh, Bhiwani, Bahadurgarh, Daruhera, Jind and Hisar the AQI was recorded between 214 and 287 today morning.

Sources in the HSPCB blamed the ongoing road construction works, burning of waste material, and violation of the norms of graded response action plan for the persisting bad air quality

In the past 48 hours, the district authorities have sealed eight units allegedly engaged in illegal burning of scrap in Mujesar and Saroorpur area.