Despite battling high level of pollution and a complete ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), people in Delhi-NCR were seen bursting firecrackers on Saturday on the occasion of Diwali.
People were seen bursting firecrackers in various parts of the national capital despite a ban imposed on the sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR till November 30 by the NGT.
Meanwhile, the air quality in Ghaziabad and Noida deteriorated to 'severe' category and remained "very poor" in Greater Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon of the National Capital Region (NCR) on Saturday, according to a government agency.
Concentration of major air pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 remained high in the five immediate neighbours of Delhi, according to the air quality index (AQI) maintained by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
According to the index, an AQI between zero 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'.
The average 24-hour AQI till 4 pm on Saturday was 456 in Ghaziabad, 425 in Noida, 394 in Greater Noida, 378 in Faridabad and 358 in Gurgaon, according to the CPCB's Sameer app.
On Friday it was 382 in Ghaziabad, 337 in Noida, 336 in Greater Noida, 324 in Gurgaon and 319 in Faridabad. On Thursday it was 328 in Ghaziabad, 327 in Greater Noida, 305 in Noida, 304 in Faridabad and 293 in Gurgaon.
PM 2.5 and PM 10 were the prominent pollutants in Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Gurgaon on Saturday, according to the CPCB.
It states that an AQI in the 'very poor' category may cause respiratory illness on prolonged exposure, while 'severe' air quality affects even healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases.
The AQI for each city is based on the average value of all stations there. Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad have four stations each, while Gurgaon has three and Greater Noida two, according to the app.
(With PTI and ANI inputs)
