Ghaziabad, Noida worst polluted cities as Delhi-NCR engulfed under smog layer
By Team Newsable | First Published Nov 12, 2021, 3:55 PM ISTThe city's Air Quality Index was 454 at 9 am. Severe air quality was detected in Faridabad (452), Ghaziabad (490), Greater Noida (476), Gurugram (418), and Noida (434).
The layer of eye-stinging fog hovering over Delhi-NCR increased on Friday, giving the sun an orange hue and reducing visibility to 200 metres in various areas of the region that dangerous pollution levels have plagued since early November. Five of the seven days following Diwali, Delhi saw terrible air quality. According to a research conducted by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the national capital has the worst air quality between November 1 and November 15 each year.
The city's Air Quality Index was 454 at 9 am. Severe air quality was detected in Faridabad (452), Ghaziabad (490), Greater Noida (476), Gurugram (418), and Noida (434). According to the Graded Response Action Plan, air quality is declared an emergency if PM2.5 and PM10 levels remain over 300 micrograms per cubic metre and 500 micrograms per cubic metre for 48 hours or longer. According to the India Meteorological Department, mild fog, low temperatures in the morning (Delhi recorded a low of 12.6 degrees Celsius on Friday), and calm breezes have been confining pollutants close to the ground.
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According to the green think group Centre for Science and Environment, the current smog event is a public health emergency and might be the longest in four years. The CSE stated in a study that the lengthier duration of this year's haze might be attributed to a lack of pollution control measures in the city despite somewhat windier local circumstances.
Another estimate claims that autos were responsible for more than half of Delhi's pollution during the early part of this year's winter, which ran from October 24 to November 8. According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality forecasting agency SAFAR around 3,914 agricultural fires accounted for 26% of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution.
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Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai requested an emergency meeting with all NCR states to address the matter of stubble burning in a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. Rai has begun a month-long effort to restrict the open burning of rubbish and biomass in the city to reduce pollution from local sources even more. The provincial government's anti-dust campaign will enter its second phase on Friday.
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