Ghaziabad reported a severe drop in Air Quality Index (AQI) on Tuesday and became the most polluted city in the country. Ghaziabad recorded AQI of 459 on Tuesday. It was 63 points up from 396 on Monday. And it is in severe range. Loni in Ghaziabad recorded AQI of 454 on Tuesday.
System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) data
The above data was provided by SAFAR that monitors Air Quality Index in the country. It kept Ghaziabad in the list of the most polluted city and Loni in the most polluted area. But Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) data says that Loni’s AQI remained between 305 and 447 in the past one week. And UPPCB blames the unplanned development for the pollution.
AQI of neighboring areas also worsened
AQI of Noida and Greater Noida was 439 and 428 respectively on Tuesday and 429 and 404 on Monday. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.
Reason for deterioration in AQI
UPPCB cites prevailing weather condition coupled with farm fires in Haryana and Punjab for the deteriorating AQI. Also, it wans that the pollution level could further worsen it the weather conditions remain unchanged.
Graded response action plan (GRAP) was put in place to control the severe level of pollution. Implemented a week ahead, the plan includes stopping pollution-prone industries and activities. But cracker burning and farm fires added to the deteriorating AQI.