Noida air ‘very poor’ for 4th day in a row
NOIDA: The air quality of Noida and its adjoining cities continued to suffer under the “very poor” category for the fourth day in row despite better wind speed towards the afternoon hours on Thursday.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) levels recorded at three of the city’s four air quality monitoring stations – Sector 125, Sector 116 and Sector 62 – improved to the “poor” category by 2pm, but deteriorated after 3pm due to a drop in the wind speed.
Experts say the air quality may marginally improve but will stay within the “very poor” category for the next three days.
Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad slipped to the “very poor” category on February 8 after oscillating within the “moderate” and the “poor” categories for three days – February 6 to 8 (the only three days since January 9 that Noida was not in the “very poor” or “severe” levels of air quality).
According to the India Meteorological department (IMD), wind speed increased slightly earlier in the day on Thursday but soon dropped to almost calm. “The wind speed increased to 18kmph towards Thursday noon, against 12 kmph a day earlier. However, it quickly dropped to almost 5kmph, leading to accumulation of pollutants. For the next three days we will see almost similar weather conditions,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre, IMD.
The department forecasted almost similar weather conditions for Friday with moderate fog in the morning hours in open areas. Due to the colder Northwesterly winds weeping the region Thursday, the minimum temperature dropped by a degree in Noida.
On Thursday, the minimum temperature for Noida was recorded at 11.8 degrees Celsius against 12.3°C a day earlier. The maximum was recorded at 25.7°C against 24°C a day earlier.
“The average maximum temperatures for next three days will hover around 27 to 29°C and the minimum may be around 9 to 10°C. Due to slower wind during night and early morning hours and slightly high humidity, the region especially the open areas may see moderate fog,” Srivastava added.
According to the CPCB, the AQI of Noida on a scale of 0 to 500, on Thursday was 313 against 311 on Wednesday. Greater Noida was 358 against 344 a day earlier, and Ghaziabad was 345 against 356 a day earlier, all in “very poor” category.
According to the System of air quality and weather forecasting and research (SAFAR), air quality will improve in the day time but fall by the evening hours.
“Surface winds are low and winds are likely to marginally improve during the day time. Ventilation is likely to stay in the same range. AQI is likely to stay in the “very poor” category for the next two days. Lower end of “very poor” to “poor” category is forecasted for February 15,” said the SAFAR statement on Thursday.
NOIDA: Thirty buffaloes being transported in a truck have been rescued and two people arrested on charges of animal cruelty in Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida, police said on Thursday.
The truck, registered in Rewari district of Haryana, was intercepted near the Eastern Peripheral Expressway by a team of officials from Ecotech 1 police station following a tip-off, they said.
“Two men, identified as Abbas and Furkan, were in the truck. When the vehicle was checked, 30 buffaloes were found cruelly stuffed in the truck and rescued,” a police spokesperson said.
Accused Abbas, who hails from Rajasthan’s Alwar, and Furkan, from Muzaffarnagar in UP, were arrested, the spokesperson added. An FIR has been lodged against them and further proceedings being carried out, the police added.
THE TRUCK, REGISTERED IN REWARI DISTRICT OF HARYANA, WAS INTERCEPTED
NEAR THE EASTERN PERIPHERAL EWAY