Gurgaon's Air Quality Dips: Local Pollution Blamed

Gurgaon's air quality registered at 289, a 'poor' level, on Wednesday, marking a significant decline from Tuesday's 'very poor' AQI of 307. This deterioration has persisted for over two weeks, largely attributed to local pollution sources such as road dust and rampant waste burning.

Data indicates that Gurgaon experienced poor air quality for most of February. While the maximum temperature reached 30.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, minimum temperatures saw a slight drop. PM2.5 levels notably surpassed 300 on February 4 and February 24.

Monitoring stations showed varied readings, with some falling into the 'poor' category and others into 'very poor.' Officials linked the air quality decline to local factors rather than long-range pollution transport. Open burning of trash by various individuals and ongoing construction activities are identified as major contributors.

The trend in February underscores how rapidly air quality can degrade outside the winter season, especially when waste burning and dust control measures are inadequately enforced. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board has stated that actions are being taken to address the waste burning issue.