LUCKNOW: As pollution levels continued to increase unabated, central UP cities Lucknow and Kanpur on Friday joined the western districts of the state to figure among the most polluted in the country.
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The air of both Lucknow and Kanpur turned “severe” with Air Quality Index (AQI) touching alarming levels of 447 and 441 respectively, according to Central Pollution Control Board. Severe air quality means that it is hazardous for human beings.
Overall, eight cities from UP were among the 12 most polluted in the country. Moradabad was the most polluted in the state and second in the country with an AQI of 457 after Fatehabad in Haryana (AQI 466). Lucknow followed at third position, Kanpur fourth, Ghaziabad fifth (433), and Greater Noida sixth (421) in the country.
Next were two Haryana cities—Faridabad and Jind—which recorded AQI 415 and 414 respectively.
Noida shared ninth position with Delhi (AQI 406) followed closely by Baghpat (AQI 402) at 10th place and Bulandshahr (AQI 401) at 11th place.
"Satellite images captured by Nasa show excessive stubble burning in UP, Haryana and Punjab to be behind the alarming air pollution levels. Air quality had already deteriorated after construction activities resumed when the lockdown was lifted," said environmentalist Venkatesh Dutta. He also said that excessive vehicular load due to festive rush and broken roads are also responsible for the rise in pollutants. Conducive weather conditions— low temperature, light winds and mist—led to exponential rise in pollution, he added.