Ghaziabad most polluted city, Delhi most polluted capital

Ghaziabad: Among 4,682 cities surveyed by IQAir AirVisual, an agency that monitors air pollution across the globe, Ghaziabad has emerged as the most polluted city in 2019 in terms of the PM2.5 levels.
New Delhi is the most polluted capital city, according to the report, which also revealed that 21 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities are in India.
According to the World Air Quality Report, 2019, compiled by IQAir AirVisual, Ghaziabad is followed by Hotan in China and Gujranwala and Faisalabad in Pakistan as the most polluted cities.
In the country-wise list, India has ranked fifth in the world. Bangladesh has topped the list, followed by Pakistan, Mongolia and Afghanistan.
As the most polluted city, Ghaziabad recorded an annual PM2.5 average of 110.2 microgram/m3 (the safe level is 60 microgram/m3). Noida and Greater Noida occupied the sixth and ninth place in the list, respectively. While the annual PM2.5 average of Noida was 97.7 microgram/m3, for Greater Noida, it was 91.3 microgram/m3, as per report.
Delhi is in the fifth position with PM2.5 average of 98.6 microgram/m3. Among other NCR cities, Gurgaon featured in the list in the seventh spot.
But if the latest report is compared to the previous years’, for Ghaziabad, the annual average of PM2.5 has come down. While the the annual average was 135.2 microgram/m3 in 2018, it was 144.6 microgram/m3 in 2017. For Noida, the annual PM2.5 average was 123.6 and 134 in 2018 and 2017, respectively. Greater Noida was not studied in 2018 and 2017.
“On analysing the report of Ghaziabad and Noida it seems the PM2.5 levels have come down, although it remains quite high,” a senior campaigner of AirVisual said.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Ghaziabad’s PM2.5 average last year was 118. In 2018, it was 135.25. Asked about the AirVisual report, an official from UPPCB said: “The methodology adopted by the agency is not used by CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) or UPPCB. According to me, it presents an exaggerated figure that does not hold true in our country’s context. But we do not deny that the overall pollution levels in these cities were among the highest in the country in 2019.”
Ghaziabad, a pollution hotspot in the country, has seen a depletion in forest cover for the past few years. “Large scale construction, coupled with industrial and vehicular pollution, have taken a toll,” said Akash Vasistha, a city based environmentalist.
As per forest office records, for Delhi-Meerut Expressway/NH9, 22,027 trees were felled. The NCRTC has sought permission to fell 2,029 trees for rapid rail project.
(With inputs from Delhi)