In the last one week, the people in the city of Ghaziabad are gasping for breath due to high pollution. The city has topped the chart of the most polluted city in last two consecutive days. In the last 7 days, the air quality of the city is varying between “severe” and “very poor” categories. Most of the days, it has been in the “severe” category.
The city has become a gas chamber. The pollution impacts maximum to high-rises residents as they are more exposed to the bad environment. There are over 350 high-rises in the city.
A resident of Paramount Symphony, Payal Tripathi, who lives on the 16th floor of her building, now regrets her decision of staying at this altitude. “I bought this home for the picturesque vision. Little I knew that the price I would pay for this home will be more than just the money,” she said.
She said that the health of her whole family is deteriorating. “We are suffering from the throat infection which is getting worse with each passing day,” she added.
Crossings Republik is already suffering from carbon emission from a factory functioning in the vicinity. Last Sunday, the residents hit the streets to demand the closure of the Continental carbon Private Limited.
Mukesh Paliwal, a resident of ATS Advantage who stays on the sixth floor of his building said, “Even at this height, the environment is quite hazy. My eyes itch when I stand in my balcony. My kids are suffering from the throat infection,” he said.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has put out an advisory for people in respect of AQI categories.
Speaking to City Spidey, Dr Anshul Varshney, physician and diabetologist practising in Rajnagar Extension, said that the number of patients complaining bronchitis, irritation in eyes and breathing difficulties has doubled in the past one week. “They all question about the cause of their illness. It is the poisonous air that we are breathing,” he said.
Varshney advised against the use of mosquito repellents, Agarbatti and incense. “These things further pollute the air inside the house and cause breathing difficulties. For temporary relief, anti-pollution masks can be used,” he added.
He also said that people need to take very good care of themselves as respiratory illness during this time normally takes 15-20 days to recover.
To check the severe pollution, the district administration of Ghaziabad is following the guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA).
The administration has closed down eight industrial units till November 30 for flouting the pollution norms. Carbon Continental Private Limited features in that list.
All the construction activities have been halted till November 10. The under-construction stretch of NHAI’s Delhi-Meerut expressway and two other flyover projects at Rajnagar Extension and Vasundhara are also put on hold till next orders.
Municipal Corporation and Municipal Councils are sprinkling water on the main roads of 86 km stretch of Ghaziabad.
Apart from them, over 14 under construction real estate projects are put on hold and 12 of them are fined for keeping their building material uncovered. Till Wednesday, the district administration, civic agencies and district pollution control board cumulatively collected fines worth Rs 65 lakhs from the violators.
DM Ghaziabad has also ordered civic agencies to do mechanised sweeping of their areas.
