Air quality oscillates 'very poor' in parts of Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Faridabad
The air quality oscillated between "poor" and "very poor" levels in parts of Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad in the National Capital Region on Tuesday, according to a government agency.
Concentration of major air pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 during the morning hours however reached "severe" category at some places in the four immediate neighbouring districts of Delhi, according to the air quality index (AQI) maintained by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
According to the index, an AQI between zero 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'.
In Gautam Buddh Nagar's Noida, the AQI was 317 at Sector 62, 298 at Sector 116 followed by 294 at Sector 1, while the station at Sector 125 showed "insufficient" data for the last 24 hours.
In Greater Noida, an AQI of 307 was recorded at Knowledge Park V and 324 at Knowledge Park III, according to the CPCB data at 8 pm.
In Ghaziabad, an AQI of 337 was recorded at the station in Loni followed by 305 at Sanjay Nagar, 300 at Indirapuram and 274 at Vasundhara, according to the CPCB figures.
In Gurgaon, the AQI was 316 at Teri Gram, 315 at Sector 51 and 246 at Vikas Sadan, while there was "no sufficient data" for NISE Gwal Pahari, it showed.
In Faridabad, the AQI was recorded 332 at Sector 11, 316 at Sector 16A, 311 at Sector 30 and 271 at New Industrial Town at 8 pm.
As a possible health impact, the CPCB states, an AQI in the "very poor" category can lead to respiratory illness on prolonged exposure, while "poor" air can cause breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure.
The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has also been implemented in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) from October 15 to check air pollution, which spikes around this time of the year.
