New Delhi: Indore, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Navi Mumbai and Dombivali are among 43 critically polluted areas in the country, Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar disclosed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Uttar Pradesh has the highest seven such cities and towns, followed by six in Gujarat, five in Maharashtra and three each in Rajasthan, West Bengal and Odisha. Besides Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Junagarh, Vapi, Vatwa and Ankleshwar have been declared critically polluted in Gujarat, while those in Maharashtra include Aurngabad, Chandrapur and Tarapur. Bhiwadi and Pali are two other critically polluted besides Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
In 2010, the ministry had banned new polluting industries in all 43 cities and towns through temporary moratorium while there is no moratorium now in
36 of them.
