Even as the premier industrial city of North India continues to be a highly polluted area, there is hardly any attempt by the administration here to check the rising pollution level. The city is among the nine most polluted cities in the country.

The Suspended Particle Matter (SPM) level of the atmosphere in certain parts of the town and district has crossed the permissible limit. And at some spots, the SPM level even has reportedly gone up by 30 to 38 times of the permissible level, thus putting at risk the lives of a large number of population and other living beings here. This fact has been surfaced after a well-known laboratory in Delhi tested the air samples taken from the Pali-Mohabbatabad area in the district recently.

It is reported that the SPM level here has touched a whopping level of 18,727.75, while the permissible limit of SPM at any residential area should be less than 500 points.

At Pali village, where a crusher zone is located, the level has been found at 10,195 SPM. Bandhua Mukti Morcha, a social body engaged in welfare of the labourers, has claimed that the dangerous levels of air pollution in the mining areas of this town has posed a grave risk to the health of hundreds of labourers working there and the population residing in the nearby villages.

The air of the Aravalli Hills in the region, where the Supreme Court had imposed a ban on mining, seems to have become quite safe as there is no open mining activity in the five-km radius of the border with Delhi. But the open mining activity has been going on a large-scale in the hills of Khori and Sirohi villages in the district, which do not come within the ban limit.

The government has allowed two crusher zones, one at Pali and another at Dhauj village, where over 250 crushers work every day. A majority of the crushers are reported to be violating the norms regarding the pollution. While it is mandatory to sprinkle water during the work at crushers, there is hardly any unit, which follow it strictly, said an insider. However, some of the norms are followed when an inspection is carried out.

It may be recalled that the Pollution Board, which has an office here, provides NOC to such units every year. Besides, there are hundreds of industrial units, which have been the source of pollution, though the Board officials claim that pollution is mainly due to the traffic and outdated vehicles. The environmentalists have also been pointing their finger at the thermal power station here, which is alleged to be spewing out fumes and black smoke at times leading to a polluted air in certain parts.

The district administration seems to be in deep slumber over the growing demand on introducing a CNG-based transport system and putting a stop at the movement of outdated vehicles like the mini trucks and three-wheeler auto rickshaws.

As many as 15,000 three-wheelers running in the city are a source of huge pollution, said K. L. Gera, a social activist here. Demanding immediate transfer of all the officials of the Pollution Department, he asked the state government to chalk out and implement a long-term plan to check the pollution menace here.