NEW DELHI: The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority on Tuesday identified five hotspots in the National Capital Region where pollution levels were substantially higher than other air monitoring stations. The Supreme Court-mandated body directed all states to formulate a long-term action plan to tackle different sources of pollution at these locations and submit the same in a week.The five locations identified by EPCA are Anand Vihar in Delhi, Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, Sahibabad and Noida Sector 125 in Uttar Pradesh and Faridabad. In these areas, readings have been in the "severe" category despite an improvement in meteorological conditions, which saw NCR 's overall air quality index fall close to 300, that is, in the "very poor" category.All these hotspots, according to EPCA, have regularly been crossing 400 on the AQI index, which is classified as "severe", which can "affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases". On Tuesday, AQI levels remained similarly high at these locations, with readings between 370 and 450 on the index.The Bhure-Lal led EPCA asked the states why no steps were being taken on the ground when pollution levels were consistently touching alarming proportions. It directed them to formulate action plans and submit them at the earliest."Long-term solutions are needed. Waste is being burnt and dumped everywhere and you are not doing anything about it. Black smoke is coming out from industries and there is construction material lying in open," said Bhure Lal.Anand Vihar has been recording AQI values in the "severe" category for the past week with levels touching 470. Stations at Faridabad and Bhiwadi recorded AQIs of 376 and 372 at 8pm on Tuesday. Noida and Sahibabad showed AQI of 440 and 433, respectively, at the same time.EPCA had earlier conducted ground inspection at these locations to ascertain sources of pollution that were leading to high AQI levels. Sunita Narain, director general of CSE and member of EPCA, said a time-bound action plan was required. This, she said, needed to be comprehensive and ensure change over a period of time. "All we are asking you to do is to step up vigilance and ensure instances of open waste burning, dust and construction violations don't happen. We want you to submit an action plan by next week on how you will be tackling these sources," said Narain.

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