Not just Delhi, Rajasthan’s agri belt too under ‘hazardous’ AQI

Jaipur: Not just Delhi, but there is another town located in north western part of the country that has been silently breathing extreme toxic air for quite a long time now. Rajasthan's Hanumangarh district has been reeling under hazardous AQI on numerous days in last month followed by severe category.In the month of November, the district witnessed 12 days where the AQI was above the mark of 400 which is considered 'hazardous'. The highest pollution level was seen on November 25 when AQI touched 447 followed by AQI of 438 on November 2. On both the days, the AQI in Delhi was rather lower than that in Hanumangarh.For 14 days, the air quality in the district remained in 'severe' category while the district breathed only one day under 'poor' category when the AQI was comparatively better at 171 on November 11 and two days of 'unhealthy' air when AQI was 214 and 277 on November 12 and 29.Not far behind is Hanumangarh's neighbouring district Sriganganagar and industrial area Bhiwadi which equally saw hazardous pollution levels on several days.A couple of factors have emerged which are responsible for poor quality of air in these districts which are part of the agrarian belt of the state. Agriculture being the prime occupation in this belt, stubble burning has come to light. As per a report submitted to NGT, Hanumangarh district alone had reported 684 farm fires. However, the board officials had noted that it is mostly the grass which is burnt by the farmers and denied reports of stubble burning in particular.Along with this, factories and brick kilns are also responsible. As per the state pollution board, notice was given to 36 factory operators which include brick kilns and plaster of paris factories, which were closed. For better monitoring of the air quality, the state pollution department had added new stations and installed systems. As per the pollution board, the data was collected in winter for the first time.

Gurgaon Pollution: After day's breather, AQI 'poor' again

The air quality in Gurgaon deteriorated to poor with an AQI of 222 on Wednesday. Sector 51 had the highest AQI at 285, followed by Gwalpahari, Teri Gram, and Vikas Sadan. The wind speed decreased to 6kmph, reducing the dispersion of pollutants. The humidity was 63%, further slowing down the dispersion process. According to Safar, the weather conditions will be highly unfavorable for dispersion of pollutants. The ventilation index and wind speed will be low, making the situation worse.

Air quality in Sanathnagarlowers as AQI soars to 203

Sanathnagar in Hyderabad experiences a decline in air quality with the AQI reaching 203, categorizing it as poor. PM 2.5 levels peak at 279 and nitrate oxide levels at 282, making it the area with the worst AQI in the city. The Telangana state pollution control board reveals an ongoing trend of heightened pollution levels. Environmental experts emphasize collaboration between authorities and residents to address the rising pollution, suggesting citizen initiatives and measures to tackle congestion and industrial adherence to safety protocols. The board admits to the surge in AQI and suggests potential interference with measurements due to a nearby drugs unit.

Gurgaon Pollution: This November's AQI 3rd worst since 2016

Gurgaon experienced its third polluted November with an average AQI of 314, the highest being in 2021 at 357. There were three 'severe' days and 16 'very poor' days this year. The air quality worsened due to low rain and wind speeds and persistent sources of pollution. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) highlighted the need for coordinated efforts to address emissions from various sources. Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) emphasized the suspension of road dust and waste burning as major concerns. Meanwhile, Delhi-NCR's pollution levels remained 'near-severe', prompting the possibility of invoking Graded Response Action Plan Stage III measures by the Commission for Air Quality Management.

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