Ghaziabad Air Pollution: Vasundhara AQI Crosses 300, Air Quality 'Very Poor'; Residents Blame UPPCB Inaction

Residents of Vasundhara and other district areas are criticising the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) for its failure to curb rising pollution. Public frustration is directed at the fact that the UPPCB's regional office, established in Vasundhara Sector 16 to ensure clean air for Ghaziabad and Hapur, cannot control pollution even in its immediate vicinity.

Residents allege that officials often wait for natural remedies like rain and strong winds to clear the air and merely provide "new lectures" when complaints are filed. This criticism comes as a pollution monitoring device installed at the board's own office consistently shows poor air quality.

On Wednesday, Vasundhara's AQI was recorded at 322, classifying the air as 'very poor' and marking it the highest in the district.

AQI Of District Stations (Wednesday)

- Vasundhara: 322

- Loni: 282

- Sanjay Nagar: 237

- Indirapuram: 221

A Persistent Problem: Vasundhara As A Hotspot

Last year, Vasundhara was identified as one of seven pollution hotspots in the district, alongside Sahibabad, Rajnagar Extension, Loni, the Bhopura-Delhi border, and Siddharth Vihar. These areas were marked for priority action.

The main causes of pollution in Vasundhara were identified as:

- Traffic

- Construction activities

- Airborne dust

Despite this identification, residents claim no significant measures are being taken to eliminate these problems. They argue that if plans were implemented on the ground instead of "just remaining on paper," there might be significant relief.

Air Quality Data (Jan 1 - Oct 29)

Data from this year (from January 1 to October 29) shows that Vasundhara residents have experienced "Good" air (AQI below 50) on only eight days.

Vasundhara's Air Quality Days (This Year)

• Good: 08
• Satisfactory: 94
• Moderate: 132
• Poor: 40
• Very Poor: 17

Pollutant Levels In Vasundhara (Wednesday)

- PM2.5: 325

- PM10: 222

- Nitrogen Dioxide: 81

- Sulphur Dioxide: 26

- Ozone: 76

- Carbon Monoxide: 56

Resident And Official Responses

The sentiment on the ground is one of frustration. "The air in the area is continuously getting worse. It has also started causing irritation in the eyes. Pollution cannot be reduced until the officials fulfil their responsibility," said Rajesh Yadav, a resident of Shiksha Niketan Society, Vasundhara Sector-5.

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Echoing this, Subodh Sharma, a resident of Vasundhara Sector-15, said, "Even the air is not clean where the officials sit. How will these officials be able to provide clean air to the people? Pollution prevention plans are confined only to paper."

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In response to the criticism, Ankit Singh, Regional Officer at UPPCB, stated, "Work is being carried out in a planned manner for pollution prevention. Letters have been written to the concerned departments to eliminate the factors causing pollution in Vasundhara and other hotspots."