Hindustan Times (Delhi)

Gzb India’s most polluted city again

- Peeyush Khandelwal peeyush.khandelwal@hindustant­imes.com

GHAZIABAD: Ghaziabad city for the second consecutiv­e day on Tuesday was the most polluted in the country, according to air quality index (AQI) measured by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The AQI value for Ghaziabad stood at 451 on Tuesday. It was 430 on Monday.

The city’s pollution levels has witnessed a drastic spike in past couple of days. Tuesday was the fourth consecutiv­e day that the air quality in Ghaziabad was in the‘severe’ category. Earlier, the city had recorded to second most polluted air, after Kanpur, on October 27 and 28.

On Saturday, Ghaziabad’s AQI value was 404 and it shot up to 415 on Sunday. The ‘severe’ air condition also prevailed in neighbouri­ng Noida, which recorded AQI of 408, under the ‘severe’ category .

An air quality index or AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfacto­ry’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’ and 401 and 500 “severe.”

On Tuesday, the Ghaziabad administra­tion sprung into action and directed closure of major constructi­on works on the Ghaziabad stretch of the DelhiMeeru­t Expressway. Authoritie­s also ordered the shutting of constructi­on of two major flyovers at Vasundhara and Raj Nagar Extension and also other constructi­on works taken up by the Public Works Department in Loni.

We have also ordered immediate shutdown of eight major industrial units till November 30. These directions were passed on Tuesday after they were found

violating pollution norms. The constructi­on work for the 9.41-km Metro route is not closed but it will be stopped from November 1-10 as per directions of the Environmen­t (Pollution & Control) authority (EPCA),” said Ritu Maheshwari, district magistrate.

The officials, however, said that they have still haven’t taken a decision for the closure of schools or closing primary classes due to prevailing conditions.

On Tuesday, the divisional commission­er (Meerut) held a detailed meeting with officials of the NCR districts and directing the stopping of salary and slapping showcause notices to 16 senior officers who failed to turn up for the meeting .

“The commission­er has directed for formation of joint inspection team which will check the polluting units. She also directed for strict enforcemen­t of seizure of petrol and diesel vehicles that are more than 15 years and 10 years old, respective­ly,” said AK Tiwari, regional manager of the UP pollution control board.

CHOKING For the fourth consecutiv­e day, the air quality in Ghaziabad on Tuesday was in the ‘severe’ category with AQI value at 451

NEWDELHI: The governing body of Delhi University’s (DU) Bharti College has approved the college’s internal complaints committee’s (ICC) recommenda­tion of sending a faculty member on ‘compulsory retirement’ after he was found guilty of sexually harassing a student. The college on Tuesday sent the recommenda­tion to DU vice chancellor Yogesh Tyagl’s office for approval.

According to a governing body member, the panel has passed a resolution and accepted the recommenda­tion of the ICC. “The final decision will now be taken by the vice-chancellor, “the member said.

A student of Bharti College had written to vice-chancellor Yogesh Tyagi on February 6 to take action against a faculty member for allegedly harassing her over a period of time. She had accused the faculty member of sending her lewd messages and making obscene phone calls until she confronted him in April 2017 and recorded the act of confrontat­ion. She had also submitted the video clip to the vice-chancellor as evidence. Bharti college principal Mukti Sanyal refused to comment saying that the matter is under process.

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 ?? SAKIB ALI/ HT PHOTO ?? The AQI value for Ghaziabad stood at 451 on Tuesday, the highest in the country for the second consecutiv­e day.
SAKIB ALI/ HT PHOTO The AQI value for Ghaziabad stood at 451 on Tuesday, the highest in the country for the second consecutiv­e day.

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