LUCKNOW: Lucknow recorded the highest air pollution level since February this year as it remained wrapped in smog for the fourth consecutive day on Monday post-Diwali.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to 338 as air quality deteriorated from ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ category. The city’s AQI had crossed the 300 mark on February 8 year when it recorded AQI 343.
Weather experts said the spike in air pollution was due to PM2.5 pollutant, emitted from firecrackers on Diwali night, getting trapped in the air due to drop in day and night temperatures.
Besides, construction activities and vehicular traffic have also contributed to rise in pollution levels.
“PM 2.5 is an ultrafine pollutant that doesn’t easily disperse in the atmosphere for a week. Further, vehicular load and traffic snarls also led to increase in pollution in the city,” said chief scientist, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, GC Kisku.
The city witnessed jump in air pollution levels by 40 units in a day.
The air pollution level in major areas like Gomtinagar, Indiranagar, Talkatora touched 400 units in the late evening hours.
Even many UP cities have air under ‘severe’ or ‘very poor’ category. Agra was the most air-polluted city in the country on Monday (AQI 486). It was followed by Vrindavan (475), Ghaziabad (437), Ballabgarh (431), Baghpat ( 427), Hapur (414), Noida (412), Bhiwadi (409), Meerut (408), Kanpur ( 404).
