GHAZIABAD: The air in Ghaziabad, even in relatively greener areas such as Indirapuram, Vaishali and Kaushambi, is nothing short of a poisonous cocktail. Prolonged exposure to the air in the city, among the top five 'most critically polluted cities' in the country, can lead to a number of respiratory diseases, most of which directly affect the lungs.Centre of Science Environment's (CSE) analysis of government data and Global Burden of Disease's report has revealed the catastrophic air pollution level in the city.In 2009, Ghaziabad was listed as the third-most polluted industrial city following a study of 88 industrial clusters by the Central Pollution Control Board. On the scale of comprehensive environmental pollution index (CEPI), Ghaziabad had recorded 87.37, which came down to 81.14 in 2011. For recording CEPI scores in excess of 80, Ghaziabad had been put in the category of 'critically polluted areas'.Lax enforcement behind heavy air pollution: ExpertsThe city has one the highest levels of sulphur oxide and particulate matter in the country, both of which can lead to fatal respiratory disease. "These pollutants in the air affect the lungs. One can have an acute attack of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Copd). It can also aggravate the conditions of those suffering from asthma," said Dr Harnish Vohra , pulmonologist, Columbia Asia Hospital, Ghaziabad.According to WHO, Copd is an umbrella term used to describe a common disease that limits the air flow within the lungs. It gets detected late in life and is a chronic condition which can lead even to death. %"Prolonged exposure to these pollutants can be deadly. It escalates the chances of decline in lung function," %Vohra said.Environmentalists at CSE said the treatment of Ghaziabad as a 'second rung' city, with lax environmental norms and enforcement, has resulted in the city's catastrophic air pollution levels. "The problem lies in the fact that in cities such as Ghaziabad, enforcement is not as strict as in bigger and more metropolitan cities," CSE director general Sunita Narain said.According to the environmental think tank, the public health crisis is also because of the presence of newer pollutants in the air - especially in greener areas - that had not been taken into consideration. "Previously, air pollution levels didn't take into account pollutants such as ozone, found in greener areas," Narain said.This January, the National Green Tribunal had ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to shut down 24 polluting units in Ghaziabad, out of which 15 did not meet prescribed air pollution norms. The tribunal had also ordered the UP Pollution Control Board to submit a list detailing all industrial units in Ghaziabad functioning in violation of the board's consent so that necessary action could be initiated against them.