The air quality across the National Capital Region (NCR) took a severe turn for the worse on Tuesday, with pollution levels spiking dramatically across key urban centers. Residents of Noida, Ghaziabad, and Greater Noida woke up to a thicker blanket of smog as the Air Quality Index (AQI) entered alarming zones within a 24-hour period.
Sharp Spike in Pollution Levels
The data reveals a concerning trend of rapid deterioration. In Noida, the overall AQI worsened from 321 to 395. Similarly, Ghaziabad saw its air quality decline, with the index climbing from 322 to 356. The situation was particularly stark in Greater Noida, where the AQI shifted from 296 in the 'poor' bracket to 378, firmly placing it in the 'very poor' category. This decline occurred despite various ongoing pollution-control measures, with smog showing no signs of easing.
Station-Wise Breakdown: Severe Readings Recorded
A closer look at individual monitoring stations paints an even grimmer picture, with several areas breaching the 400-mark into the 'severe' category.
In Noida, the Sector 116 and Sector 125 stations both recorded a severe AQI of 427. Sector 1 was not far behind at 405. Sector 62 recorded a reading of 321, which is classified as 'very poor'.
In Greater Noida, the Knowledge Park V station recorded a severe AQI of 430, while Knowledge Park III recorded 325 in the 'very poor' range.
In Ghaziabad, Loni recorded the highest reading in the report at 433 (severe). Indirapuram and Sanjay Nagar recorded 390 and 334 respectively, both in the 'very poor' category. Vasundhara was slightly better but still in the 'poor' category with an AQI of 287.
Weather Conditions and Forecast
According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, surface winds on Tuesday blew from the southwest. Wind speeds were calm initially, increasing to less than 5 kmph during the afternoon. By evening, wind speed increased to up to 10 kmph from the north.
The forecast for Wednesday suggests the city is likely to witness shallow fog during the morning hours. The predominant surface wind is expected to come from the northwest, with calm winds gradually increasing to up to 5 kmph in the morning. Forecasts indicate that the AQI is likely to remain in the 'very poor' category from December 3 to 5.
Delhi's Parallel Decline
The capital city mirrored the deteriorating trend in the NCR. Delhi's air quality worsened to the upper reaches of the 'very poor' category as wind speeds dropped. The standard 4 pm AQI reading was recorded at 372, a significant jump from 304 a day earlier. The situation worsened further by 8 pm, with the index reaching 390. The day began with a reading of 340 at 9 am, which climbed to 359 by noon, indicating a drastic overnight deterioration.
The persistent smog and severe air quality levels highlight the ongoing environmental challenge facing the NCR as winter sets in, posing significant health risks to millions of residents.
