Punjab's Gobindgarh is India's most polluted city
Thursday, 19 February 2009, 15:19 IST
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New Delhi: Gobindgarh in Punjab, known for its iron and steel factories, is the most polluted city in the country, Minister of State for Environment and Forest Namo Narain Meena said in the Lok Sabha Wednesday. Gobindgarh, also known as 'Loha (iron) City' has recorded suspended particulate matter (microscopic particles in the air such as dust and smoke) level of 252 micrograms per cubic metre in 2007, 320 percent higher than the national standard level of 60 micrograms. The lowest on the list of 85 cities are four towns - Balasore and Berhampur in Orissa, Hassan in Karnataka and Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh - which have a particulate matter (PM) level of 62 microgram per cubic metre each, the minister said. Gobindgarh is followed by Ludhiana and Khurja in Uttar Pradesh on the top polluting cities list. The most polluting metro is Delhi, which comes 15th on the list with 159 micrograms per cubic metre. Kolkata follows a distant second at 99 micrograms per cubic metre coming at 41st position.
Source: IANS
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