Baddi most polluted town in India
Ambika Sharma
Solan, January 16
Baddi was the most polluted town today with an ambient air quality index (AQI) of 416 while New Delhi registered an AQI of 371 and Noida 288. On January 14, it was the third most polluted city with an AQI of 438, which was less than Noida (456) and New Delhi (447), as per the data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
There are eight major pollutants that are taken into account for AQI calculation. As per the AQI registered in Baddi today, PM 2.5 was 416 while PM 10 was 360. Construction activities and poor roads have been found to be the major contributors to the high AQI in Baddi though activities like burning of plastic waste, rubber tyres, scrap, etc. have also contributed to the high air pollution level.
Baddi is among six towns in the state that figure among the non-attainment towns where air quality was not in sync with the national ambient air quality norms consistently for the past five years. Strict measures like regular stack monitoring of industries, check on brick-kilns, stone crushers and road construction activities can help bring down air pollution.
Interestingly, investors are demanding permission to use biofuel such as rice husk instead of adopting green fuel like compressed natural gas (CNG), which is available in Baddi. “During winter there is a low dispersion level, which increases the AQI. Also, the lack of rain during the season increases the AQI due to the dry spell,” said a CPCB official
He added, “Construction sites are not covered and construction material is being dumped or stacked in the open or on roadside. Also, construction material is not being transported in covered vehicles.”
Construction, poor roads to blame
- Construction activities and poor roads are the major contributors to high AQI in Baddi though activities like burning of plastic waste, rubber tyres, scrap, etc. are also responsible for the high air pollution level
- Baddi is among six towns in the state that figure among the non-attainment towns where air quality was not in sync with the national ambient air quality norms consistently for the past five years
- Strict measures like regular stack monitoring of industries, check on brick-kilns, stone crushers and road construction activities can help bring down air pollution
