Gurugram residents continue to breathe in poisonous air

There seems to be no respite for Gurugram residents who are forced to breathe poisonous air with air quality levels in the city again deteriorating owing to high air pollution.

On Tuesday, the particulate matters of harmful 2.5 microns were registered at levels of 250-300 micrograms per cubic metre. The safety level of PM2.5 as prescribed by World Health Organisation is 60 micrograms per cubic metre.

Exposure to PM2.5 for long can result in lung impairment and other breathing problems. Besides, PM2.5 there was also high levels of poisonous concentrations of Ozone, Sulphur dioxide, Nitrogen dioxide witnessed in city's air.

High levels of vehicular traffic, increased amount of dust produced due to a large amount of construction are still major factors acting as a catalyst to air pollution in the Millennium City. However, in recent days the deterioration of air quality levels is attributed to dusty winds from Rajasthan and burning of crop remnants by the farmers.

Gurugram is not only among the leading cities of highest air pollution in the country but on certain occasions it has registered air quality levels worse than Delhi.

"We cannot control external factors like burning of remnants by the farmers and environmental factors like winds blowing from Rajasthan that contributes to air pollution. However, we are taking proactive steps in preventing air pollution in the city in coordination with other public agencies," said a senior official from Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB).

The official also stated that steps are being taken towards better management of traffic, mechanised cleaning of dusty roads and increasing of green cover in the city.

According to a resident, the public agencies did nothing to rectify the worsening air quality levels in the city.

"Gurugram today is the most polluted place in the country. It should be a warning to authorities that we have even surpassed Delhi in having the worse air quality levels in the country. While Delhi gets the limelight for its poor air quality levels, Gurugram is often ignored by the media and the environmental activists, said Shreya Arora, a city resident.