NOIDA: A year after post-Diwali air quality in Noida and Greater Noida stood at 320 and 282, respectively, the two cities have recorded contrasting trends this year, with Noida registering a higher pollution level while Greater Noida has reported an improvement, according to pollution monitoring data.
“We are closely monitoring the air quality and have deployed dedicated teams across three zones in Noida to identify pollution sources and violations. The teams are inspecting their respective areas, covering sectors 1 to 62, 63 to 124 and 125 to 168, and checking compliance with prescribed pollution-control measures.
Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) officials said Noida has been divided into three zones for monitoring and inspection, with dedicated teams deployed across the city to identify pollution sources and violations. We will continue these inspections and take action wherever violations are found,” said Kishan Singh, assistant engineer, UPPCB, Noida.
The pollution levels in the two Gautam Budh Nagar cities had remained high even before Diwali. The latest readings came a day after Diwali, celebrated on November 8, when firecracker emissions added to the existing pollution load in the region. In Noida, the AQI rose from 297 on November 7 to 318 on November 8, before climbing further to 332 on Monday. Greater Noida, however, recorded an improvement, with its AQI declining from 281 on November 7 to 299 on November 8 and further to 252 on November 9. In neighbouring Ghaziabad, the AQI stood at 324 at 4.05pm on Monday, placing the city in the ‘very poor’ category. The reading was lower than the 344 recorded on November 8, but higher than the 277 registered on November 7, indicating that pollution levels remained elevated even after the festival. On November 6, Noida recorded an AQI of 303, while Greater Noida registered 316.
The subsequent readings indicate that while Noida witnessed a further deterioration after the festival, Greater Noida’s air quality improved on Monday.
Shallow fog is expected over the coming days, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to remain around 30°C and 17°C, respectively, according to the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast for Gautam Budh Nagar. Fog or mist is also likely during the early morning hours on November 10, with temperatures forecast between 17°C and 29°C. Winds are expected to remain relatively calm over the next couple of days, but clearer skies are likely from November 11 onwards,” he added.
Weather conditions are also likely to influence pollution dispersion in the coming days. “While the impact of firecracker emissions may add to the existing pollution load after Diwali, the overall AQI is also influenced by local emissions and prevailing meteorological conditions.
