CHANDIGARH: Gurugram emerged as the second most polluted major city in India on Monday morning, with its Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 307, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, following Diwali celebrations. It was behind only Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, according to IQAir’s live air quality ranking between 7 am and 8 am.
Prayagraj topped the ranking with an AQI of around 325, followed by Asansol (275), Varanasi (255), and Noida and Delhi (around 250 each). Gurugram’s air quality was thus worse than that of the national capital during the period.
At the Vikas Sadan monitoring station, operated by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, the PM2.5 level stood at 105.9 µg/m³ at 7.30 am, equivalent to an AQI of around 252 in the ‘poor’ category. The morning temperature was around 22°C, with a smoky haze over the city.
The Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) bulletin on Sunday, Diwali day, had recorded Gurugram’s AQI at 288, in the ‘poor’ category. The figure was the 24-hour average recorded until 4 pm, with PM2.5 being the prominent pollutant.
Faridabad also recorded poor air quality, with an AQI of 291. Both PM2.5 and PM10 were the prominent pollutants. While both cities were close to the 300 mark, beyond which the ‘very poor’ category begins, Ballabgarh in Faridabad district recorded an AQI of 398, the highest in the bulletin, bringing it close to the ‘severe’ category.
Elsewhere in the National Capital Region (NCR), Delhi recorded an AQI of 376 and Ghaziabad 344, both in the ‘very poor’ category, while Noida recorded 318.
According to the CPCB, ‘poor’ air quality can cause breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure, with those suffering from asthma and lung or heart ailments being particularly vulnerable.
The brief improvement following late-October rain and strong winds quickly disappeared as dry conditions returned. Pollution from vehicles, industries, construction, road dust and waste burning accumulated, while Diwali firecrackers added to the pollution by releasing smoke and fine particles. Weak winds and unfavourable weather conditions further hindered the dispersal of pollutants.
The Commission for Air Quality Management had already imposed Stage III restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR on November 6 as pollution levels worsened ahead of Diwali.
With pollution levels remaining high, residents face another week of poor air quality.
