Muzaffarnagars air quality index reading stood at 423 on Friday evening, making it the most polluted city in UP and the 2nd most
polluted city in the country.
As per theCentral Pollution Control Boards daily AQI bulletin that assessed the air quality of 153 cities all over India, Muzaffarnagar is the only city in the state to have recorded severe levels of
Air Pollution.
Blaming it on drop in temperature and wind speed, Muzaffarnagarpollution departmentclaimed that due to change in weather, the air quality deteriorated. Officials said local administration is taking several measures to loosen the smog by sprinkling water on roads and trees, and ensuring a complete ban on the construction activity and factories that emanate smoke.”
According to list of the districts published on the board’s website on Friday at 4pm, the most polluted city was Siwan inBiharwith an AQI value of 426, followed byFaridabadand Muzaffarnagar (423) and Delhi (406). The board categorises air quality as ‘poor’ if the AQI value is between 200 and 299; ‘very poor’ if it is between 300-400; and ‘severe’ if the reading crosses 400.
Also, the AQI value reflects the extent of the presence of PM 2.5 pollutants suspended in the air.
Notably, data from all districts across the country is uploaded on the CPCB’s website at 4pm every day and on Saturday, the AQI of Muzaffarnagar was recorded at 309, which still is in the ‘poor category but due to mild wind movement, the air quality was a tad better.