Ghaziabad, Oct 6 (IANS): The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been implemented in Delhi NCR from October 1 to save citizens from rising pollution, but its rules are followed least in Ghaziabad. Ghaziabad was categorised as the most polluted city in India last week, as per reports.

The largest city in western UP was the most polluted one in the country on Wednesday when its AQI was 248. On Tuesday, the city's AQI average stood at 162, with an escalation of 86 points. The condition in Loni was the worst in all the four stations of the city with its AQI at 293.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has asked the officials of Loni Municipal Council to strictly follow the rules of GRAP. The Board has concerns over the rising pollution in the capital after Ravan Dahan on Dussehra.

The AQI is expected to come down to normal level if it rains.

Further in NCR, Gurugram's AQI stood at 238, making it the second most polluted city in the country while Greater Noida was at the third position with its AQI measuring at 234. "The spread of pollution is compounded by emission of black smoke from vehicles," said the regional officer of the CPCB.

After Navratri, vehicular pollution spread rapidly in the atmosphere as many people used their own vehicles to travel, taking Delhi's AQI to 211 - which was 37 points less than Ghaziabad. "Slow wind speed, not sprinkling water on roads and vehicular smoke are considered to be the main reasons for pollution,in the last 24 hours," officials said.

The AQI of Ghaziabad in the the last five days was recorded as 210,207,138,162 and 248. The four stations of the district Indirapuram, Vasundhara, Loni and Sanjay Nagar had the AQI measured 258, 265, 293 and 175 respectively.