As per Greenpeace India’s fourth Airpocalypse report, which was released on Tuesday, six out of the 10 most polluted cities in India are in Uttar Pradesh.
These cities include Noida, Ghaziabad, Bareilly, Allahabad, Moradabad and Firozabad. Meanwhile, Jharia in Jharkhand was declared the most polluted city in India by Greenpeace.
For the unaware, Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization body that keeps an eye on factors related to the environment. The body has its offices in over 39 countries and an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Delhi on the list improved its position by 2 spots in 2017 to claim the 10th position in 2018. The list was based on the particulate matter (PM) data of 287 cities across the country.
Also Read: Shaheen Bagh Protesters Meet Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal With Demands
Lunglei, in Mizoram, is the least polluted city in India. Meghalaya’s Dawki comes second. The city in the east recorded a PM level, which was below the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) prescribed level of 20/ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter).
Woes Beside Pollution
Jharia is prone to pollution due to its location and activities. The city rests in the coal mining belt of Jharkhand with PM-10 levels recorded at 322 ug/m3. This is the highest in the country.
Also Read: Now You Can Book ‘Igloo Rooms’ For Yourself In Manali
Jharkhand pollution board officials had listed factors like vehicular emission, road dust, air pollution from bio-mass burning, air pollution from industry, construction and demolition activities, diesel generator sets and use of coal in dhabas and road side eateries as the major factors that result in worsening air quality.
As far as Uttar Pradesh is concerned, the state is facing not just pollution woes but also hiking crime woes. As per the latest report by the National Crime Records Bureau, crimes against women were the highest in Uttar Pradesh.
