Ghaziabad Becomes India's Most Polluted City, AQI Hits 'Severe' Level
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Ghaziabad, a city in Uttar Pradesh, has taken the unwanted title of India's most polluted city, with its Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching a staggering 'severe' level on Monday. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ghaziabad's AQI stood at 401, making it the only city in the country to record such high levels. The city's Loni and Sanjay Nagar monitoring stations reported AQI levels of 414 and 433, respectively, while the Indirapuram station recorded an average of 366 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5. Nitrogen dioxide levels were also elevated, with an average of 92 and a maximum of 157. Experts attribute the rise in pollution levels to road dust, unpaved roads, and traffic congestion. The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has intensified its enforcement efforts, cracking down on ready-mix concrete plants, illegal dyeing units, and garbage burning. The city's pollution woes have been ongoing, with Ghaziabad recording 'severe' air on December 17, 2024, and again on Sunday. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies an AQI of 0-50 as 'good', 51-100 as 'satisfactory', 101-200 as 'moderate', 201-300 as 'poor', 301-400 as 'very poor', and 401-500 as 'severe'. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that weather conditions will remain unchanged, with northwesterly, dry, and cold winds blowing in the region. Mahesh Palawat, vice president, Climate and Meteorology, Skymet Weather, said that the wind velocity may decrease slightly, allowing pollutants to accumulate. As a result, there is no drastic change predicted in weather conditions for the next week.
