Delhi-NCR air quality plummets ahead of Diwali, Ghaziabad tops list with ‘very poor’ AQI
Transport emissions contribute significantly to pollution, and no immediate improvement is expected in the coming days.
The air quality index (AQI) took a sharp plunge in the national capital region and adjoining areas days ahead of Diwali with Ghaziabad recording AQI in ‘very poor’ category.
Delhi recorded an index as high as 254 (poor) on the AQI scale, the data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.
Delhi-NCR and its adjoining areas made it to the list of the cities with the worst air quality today as they logged quite high on the AQI scale. While the AQI in Ghaziabad was recorded at 306 (very poor), it was 278 (very poor) in Manesar, Noida and Rohtak and Hanumangarh and 266 (poor) in Gurugram.
Meanwhile, Hapur saw an AQI of 265 (poor) in, Ballabhgarh 254 (poor), Greater Noida 246 (poor) and Faridabad 105 (moderate).
Transport emissions remained the largest contributor to Delhi's air pollution on Thursday, accounting for 18.7 per cent of total emissions, based on data from the Decision Support System. No respite is expected as the Air Quality Early Warning System forecast shows similar air quality for the coming days in Delhi, HT reported earlier.
The national capital's struggle for clean air begins with the onset of winter season and the subsequent stubble burning in the adjoining states, which coincides with the Diwali. The national capital was able to maintain a long streak of clean air from June 11 till late last week, owing to rains and winds this monsoon that kept the air quality in check.
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and AQI score between 0-50 is considered ‘Good’ and has minimal impact, 51-100 is ‘satisfactory’ and causes minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people, 100-200 is ‘moderate’ and causes breathing discomfort to people with diseases in their lungs, asthma or heart diseases, 201-300 is ‘poor’ and causes breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure, 301-400 is ‘very poor’ and causes respiratory illness on prolonged exposure, and 401-500 is ‘severe’ which affects healthy people and impacts those with existing diseases.
Apart from these regions, Madhya Pradesh's Pithampur and Haryana's Panipat recorded a poor air quality at 242, Gujarat's Nandesari recorded poor air quality at 228, Maharashtra's Nagpur recorded poor air quality at 233, Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, Khurja, Baghpat and Bulandshahr recorded poor air quality at 228, 220, 210 and 216, West Bengal's Howrah recorded poor air quality at 206, Haryana's Fatehabad, Bahadurgarh and Dharuhera recorded poor air quality at 224, 213 and 239, Rajasthan's Bikaner, Bharatpur and Bhiwadi recorded poor air quality at 216, 202 and 236.
