WHO report on polluted cities not correct: Haryana

The Haryana Pollution Control Board has rejected a recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which claims that Faridabad is among the top three polluted cities in the world, PTI reports from Chandigarh.

Haryana Environment and Climate Change Minister Vipul Goel on Friday said the source of the data on which the report was based was not clear.

"The Haryana Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has been monitoring the data since 2010 through continuous air ambient quality monitoring stations in Faridabad and Gurugram.

"As per the details available with the board, the PM 2.5 value of both the cities are being monitored regularly since 2013," he said.

These values increase above 170 only during a brief season, that is during a few days around Diwali; crop harvesting season, during which residue burning is reported; and peak winter, when the temperature is low and wind velocity is minimum, he said.

Therefore, it is not justified to claim that the average PM 2.5 value is above 170 in Faridabad, he said, adding the city is affected mostly due to the pollution in neighbouring Delhi.