Durgapur residents choke with rising PM10 levels

Local residents are breathing toxic gases across this industrial city that has surpassed the degree of pollution of the national capital for the second consecutive day and topped the list of hazardous cities in the country, as the pollution index chart prepared by the Central Pollution Control Board reflects.

- KANCHAN SIDDIQUI

Bidhannagar locality in Durgapur town recorded the highest AQI (air quality index) level at 423 yesterday at a time when AQI at Shadipur point - the worst-hit area in Delhi - was at 394 and AQI of Chandigarh, another desperately gasping city had dropped down to 269.

Today, when Bidhannagar's AQI however dropped slightly to 404, Delhi recorded 324. Durgapur's neighbouring towns, Raniganj and Asansol, at 2.30 pm today recorded AQI levels at 324 & 380.

"Yes, it's a fact that the ambient air quality of Durgapur has deteriorated dangerously and we've taken serious cognizance about it," said Arup De, environmental engineer of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board's regional headquarters here this afternoon.

He said: "We've beefed up surveillance furthermore and actions against three more polluting iron & steel factories have been geared up today."