After a World Health Organisation (WHO) report said that Gurugaram and Faridabad had among the highest particulate matter under 2.5 micrograms, or PM2.5 , Haryana’s environment and climate change minister Vipul Goel said the source of the data on which the report was based is not clear.
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The latest WHO ranking of cities based on ambient air quality released on May 2 says that particulate matter in Faridabad was 172 micrograms per cubic metre in 2016 second only to Kanpur at 173 micrograms per cubicmetre. Gurugram at 113 micrograms per cubic metre ranked amongst the most polluted cities in the world.
The Haryana Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has been monitoring the PM 2.5 value of both the cities since 2013. Goel said that the value is above 170 only for a short time around Diwali when crop burning starts and peak winter, when the temperature is low and wind velocity is minimum.
Delhi’s pollution level has always remained higher than these two cities, he said. According to the WHO report Delhi’s PM 2.5 level is 143 microns per cubic metre, lower than Faridabad but higher than Gurgaon. Haryana has a detailed action plan to combat air pollution in the entire state which includes banning registration of diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old in Faridabad, Gurugram and Jhajjar.
The NHAI, HUDA and Public Works Departments have been directed by the HSPCB to contain dust during their construction activities. Mechanical sweeping machines and vacuum machines are being used in Gurugram and Faridabad for cleaning purposes to reduce road dust, he said.
The state will start installing 19 continuous ambient air quality monitoring station (CAAQMS) across the state within a month. The state is also planning to carry out a source attribution study with the help of various experts so that the action plan can be put into action accordingly, Goel said.