Pollution control in NCR a failure

The average PM2.5 value in 2017 was 144.6 mg/m3 for Ghaziabad and 134 for Noida, according to the world air quality report by Greenpeace and Airvisual. The PM2.5 value for the same period according to CPCB data was 322 for Ghaziabad and 140 for Noida. 'While these are absolute figures, we have a set standard for measurement and there is no comparative data with other cities across the world according to our standards. Also, we are not sure about the sourcing of the private report or some of the parameters based on which they have calculated the data,' Ashok Tiwary, regional officer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Ghaziabad, said. He added that there is no need to panic as the authenticity of the report as well as the sourcing of data is yet to be officially verified. He also said that a similar report, released by the World Health Organisation (WHO), made no mention of Noida or Ghaziabad. According to Tiwary, Ghaziabad has been complying with all standards prescribed by the graded action response plan (GRAP) and three new automatic air quality monitoring stations have recently been installed in the city for better monitoring of data. Since Diwali last year, the air quality index has been frequently slipping to the 'poor' to 'severe' category. There has been no 'good' air day since July. Several complaints were also made through social media and other online platforms regarding air pollution across the city. According to CPCB data, the top causes of pollution in Ghaziabad were open dumping of garbage, construction/demolition activity, open/garbage burning, unpaved roads/pits and traffic congestion. In Noida, the biggest culprits have been construction/demolition activity, open dumping of garbage, unpaved roads/pits, traffic congestion and leaf/open garbage burning. Officials have also said that major infrastructure projects such as the construction of a National Highway in Ghaziabad and the work on the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCCIL) in Gautam Budh Nagar are some of the biggest polluters in the region, emanating large amounts of dust pollution during construction and not keeping the building material covered. Officials maintained that regular action is taken against polluters and that NCR cities have been proactive in controlling pollution levels by ensuring that local factors don't add to air pollution. 'While the report enlists Noida as among the worst in the world, it is still the best performer in the region. It is also the only city to prosecute and arrest violators. The parameters of comparison in this report are unclear and we cannot comment on it,' B N Singh, district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar, said Dailyhunthttps://www.openstreetmap.org/user/feetergeeten

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