Delhi has been under much scrutiny for its air quality and the increasing pollution rates in the city. It was only recently that NASA released images of stubble burning around the state went viral and gnawed at the conscience of environmentally aware and conscious. Yet, if we take a look closer to home, Lucknow has been breathing with damaged lungs for quite some time now.
According to a recent bulletin released by the Central Pollution Control Board, Lucknow stood as the most polluted city in the country, on Monday.
What’s the Update?
In a horrifying turn of events, Lucknow became the most polluted city in the entire country with its AQI in the poor category at 294. Only a few notches away from being a severe health issue and in the ‘very poor’ category, Lucknow left Delhi behind whose pollution level was recorded at 249.
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According to a report released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on October 21st, Lucknow was closely followed by Ghaziabad at 284 and Moradabad at 272.
The concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 particles in the city have been on a rise with the coming festive season and the approaching winter. With the air velocity low and temperatures moderate to pleasant, the fine particulate pollutants find it difficult to disperse in the air. This combined with the constant construction can be easily attributed to the increasing pollution levels in the city.
A warning sign before Diwali
While Lucknow chokes on the aftermaths of its own actions, the situation is a red flag, especially before Diwali. Come the festive time and the cracker frenzy, the AQI of the city is sure to plunge further down and land at disastrous levels.
It would be prudent for the residents in the city to practice caution and look for green Diwali options that wouldn’t escalate these emerging situations further.
Knock Knock
With pollution levels of the city off the charts, we can only hope that the residents will practice restraint this Diwali. If you’re someone who wants to have an epic Diwali celebration, we would suggest taking a look at the air quality and then burning crackers. If not, the air quality will only deteriorate.
