NOIDA/GHAZIABAD: Noida and Ghaziabad remained enveloped in smog as air in the region plunged to the 'severe' category. The sudden spike in air pollution is because of the low wind speed and rise in the moisture content in the particle, which is allowing the pollutants to build up fast.
Residents while talking to media complaint of respiratory illness and fatigue to the toxic air. Some of them also held smoke emitted from the stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana along with vehicular pollution in Delhi responsible for the pollution in their areas.
"I believe that the stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana are major causes of pollution in Ghaziabad and its nearby areas. In Delhi also, too many vehicles on roads are making the air dirty. I develop headache the moment I step out of my house in the morning," said a local from Ghaziabad.
"I am suffering from chest congestion due to polluted air outdoors. There is so much smog around. People do not prefer walking in the morning and also there is no check on the pollution control," said Rajeev, another local from Ghaziabad.
The Uttar Pradesh government has also issued guidelines to reduce air pollution in the areas. They have urged people to adopt clean technology, in the manufacture of biogas, energy, compost, electricity, building materials (bricks, cement, tiles, plasterboards, etc) and other products by recycling waste and fly ash generated from industries and other sources.
Locals have been asked not to throw the trunk around and do it at the appropriate fixed site. Transport drivers have been directed to properly maintain their vehicles and keep checking the carburetor and emissions from time to time. By which the smoke emitted can be controlled.
"In place of chemical fertilizers, adopt organic fertilizers, Burmese compost, green manure, organic culture, compost, fertilizer and leguminous crops," the advisory read.
(THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS)