A Monitor Shows Ghaziabad’s AQI Touching 2500, Air Quality 5-Times More Toxic Than Delhi

While the entire focus was on Delhi’s pollution last night, some areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) actually remained more toxic. If reports are to be believed Ghaziabad and Gurugram recorded more pollution. The standard system of calculating pollutants in the air, also known as Air Quality Index (AQI) categorised Delhi’s air quality as ‘severe’ with PM 2.5 breaching 500 mark. Some reports suggested that Ghaziabad recorded a reading of 2507, which is beyond index or in other words, it was so high that it could not be measured according to current standards. 

While the relative air quality has been better in most of the places in and around NCR when compared to the past few years, it could have been a different story during the peak of the bursting of crackers.

There are several air quality monitors at use currently. According to air-quality.com the AQI  in Ghaziabad had crossed 2500 during this time period.

However, other air quality monitors including CPCB and SAFAR showed the AQI in Ghaziabad around the 400 mark.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

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Beside alarming numbers, people themselves felt the absence of clean air and were left choking. 

Many locals complained that they were facing breathing issues due to the pollution.  

“The air in the area is so polluted that most people are having trouble breathing. I have also developed an allergy and cough. Government officials have totally failed in preventing bursting of firecrackers,” Raghunath Singh, a resident of Indirapuram told ANI.