Even as the residents were grappling with the post Diwali atmospheric pollution caustic air started blowing from the rural hinterland of Haryana and Punjab overtaken them. The source is stubble burning in the agricultural fields of Haryana and Punjab.
Stubble burning is an age old practice carried out by farmers in which the straw stubble that remains after grains are harvested are intentional set fire to.
The pollution from stubble burning in combination with the smoke generated from garbage burning makes a lethal cocktail.
CitySpidey, in the past, has reported nearly six incidents of stubble and garbage burning in Greater Noida before Diwali, which, as per the supporting data, made the air quality of the area very low, if not hazardous.
The residents of Greater Noida have been complaining of breathlessness, burning eyes and headache because of rising air pollution levels after Diwali.
An ENT doctor from Greater Noida told CitySpidey that in the last two days he had seen over 500 patients majority of whom were either very young or old complaining a burning sensation in throat and difficulty in breathing.
It’s been just 4 days I have come to Noida from Manipal(Karnataka). I am already having headaches, cough, cold etc. My eyes are burning. At first I thought, it might be for a few moments. But it is increasing. Please wake up @UPGovt @myogiadityanath @ArvindKejriwal @mlkhattar
— Pranav Rathi (@PranavRathi18) October 30, 2019
Chief medical officer (CMO), Gautam Budh Nagar, Dr Anurag Bhargava, said cases of people with respiratory issues or cardiovascular diseases have increased and we suggest nebulisation to ease breathing. We are also advising people to stay indoors and avoid going out for morning walk till sunshine.
While a day after Diwali the air quality index (AQI) in Ghaziabad was 700, it has dropped to 541, as recorded at 1 pm on Wednesday, falling under the hazardous category. Likewise, in Noida's sector 62, AQI was 559 followed by 374 AQI in Greater Noida's Knowledge Park area.
Amit Aggarwal, a resident of Greater Noida west lamented that the incidents of stubble burning are adding to the already worsening condition of environment by sharply increasing pollution over a week's time.
The Noida and Greater Noida authorities are sprinkling water on roads to curb the rising pollution level, not much difference has been seen.
