Season of bad air returns: Greater Noida, Ghaziabad most polluted in country

LUCKNOW The season of bad air seems to have begun with the deterioration of air quality in western Uttar Pradesh. Greater Noida and Ghaziabad recorded the highest and second highest AQI in the country at 274 and 271, respectively, as per the daily air quality index (AQI) released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Monday.

The air quality of these two cities surpassed the National Capital’s mark which usually records the highest AQI. Delhi’s AQI was recorded at 234, much lower than that of western UP cities. However, Lucknow’s AQI (91 – satisfactory) remained under control.

For the unversed, AQI is categorized as follows: 0-50 (good), 51-100 (satisfactory), 101-200 (moderate), 201-300 (poor), 301-400 (very poor), and 401-500. (severe).

Three other cities also saw ‘poor’ category AQI with Noida recording 268, followed by Hapur 264, and Meerut 228.

Even on Sunday, six cities in UP recorded ‘poor’ AQI with Muzaffarnagar recording the highest in the country (267), followed by Ghaziabad (264), Hapur (253), Noida (243), Greater Noida (228), and Meerut. (227).

All these stations remained above Delhi’s mark, which recorded an AQI of 224 on Sunday.

Further analysis of the AQI bulletin also showed that these cities were only few in the entire country to show red marks as the majority of the cities in India showed green marks.