Punjab witnessed less pollution this Diwali compared to the previous two years, even as its air quality dropped to “poor” with cracker ban and timing restrictions going up in smoke and the State witnessing more than 1000 farm fires on the festival day — highest in the season, so far.
The state’s average air quality index (AQI) this Diwali was 224 (poor) as compared to 268 (poor) in 2021 and 328 (very poor) in 2020. Punjab has observed the average AQI reduction of 16.4 per cent from the previous year (2021) and 31.7 per cent as compared to 2020.
Overall, Punjab’s six cities have observed reduction in the AQI during this year Diwali as compared to the previous years’ Diwali days (in 2020 and 2021). The maximum AQI was recorded at Amritsar this year with AQI category 262 (poor). However, in the previous year, maximum value of AQI 327 (very poor) was observed in Jalandhar; and in 2020, maximum value of AQI 386 (Very Poor) was observed in Amritsar.
The minimum AQI for this year was recorded in Mandi Gobindgarh with 188 (Moderate) against the previous year value of 220 (poor) and also in 2020 with AQI value of 262 (poor).
The previous year, AQI of two cities — Amritsar and Jalandhar — remained in “very poor” category; whereas in 2020, four cities — Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Patiala — remained in “very poor” category.
However, this Diwali, several parts recorded air quality in the “poor” category on Tuesday morning. Ludhiana reported its respective AQI at 269 at 10:10 am, as per to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) data.
Among other districts, Amritsar, Mandi Gobindgarh, Patiala, Jalandhar, and Khanna recorded the AQI at 249, 208, 225, 260, and 212 respectively — all in the “poor” category.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.
Notably, Punjab Government had allowed only environment-friendly or green firecrackers — that reduces pollution by 30 per cent — to be burst during the window from 8 pm till 10 pm on Diwali. But, the people began bursting firecrackers around 6 pm and the festivities continued till midnight as there was no one to check the violations and implement the guidelines.
1019 Farm Fire Incidents Reported On Diwali Day
Coupled with the Punjabis disregard to the cracker ban and timing restrictions, Diwali night witnessed the highest number of stubble burning cases of the kharif harvest season, so far, with 1,019 incidents. As per a report of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Tarn Taran topped the districts with 160 farm fires followed by 97 incidents reported in Amritsar on Diwali. The two districts are witnessing the maximum incidents of farm fires this year, as of now, with Tarn Taran topping the list with total 1,194 cases followed by 992 from Amritsar. The State Government and also the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) have all along been claiming that the farm fire incidents this years are less than previous years.
‘Green Crackers, Wind Speed Help Checking Pollution’
Looking at the ‘silver lining’, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) on Tuesday asserted that the permission to burst “only green crackers” helped in checking the pollution level this Diwali.
“The air quality is better this year as compared to the previous years. We feel that green crackers has helped, at least to some extent…People were also not very enthusiastic in buying crackers this time,” said PPCB official.
The official added that despite more than 1000 incidents of stubble burning in a single day, the air quality is still better as compared to the previous two years which is a good sign.
At the same time, the official maintained that the wind speed also favoured the state to have better air quality. “In Punjab’s most of the cities, the air quality worsened a little and recorded in “poor” category, and the wind speed has helped the state,” said the official.
Minister Credits PPCB for Effective Measures to Ensure Improved AQI
Punjab Environment Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Tuesday said that due to constant efforts of the Punjab Pollution Control Board and appeals by the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, this year's air quality improved as compare to the previous years on the day of Diwali.
Sharing details, the Minister said that the previous year as well as in 2020, no city remained in the moderate category of AQI; whereas this year, two cities — Khanna and Mandi Gobindgarh — remained in the ‘moderate’ category of AQI.
Hayer said that maximum AQI was recorded at Amritsar this year with AQI category 262 (Poor), while minimum AQI was recorded in Mandi Gobindgarh with AQI of 188 (Moderate).
The maximum AQI reduction in this year was observed in Jalandhar — 31.2 per cent, and minimum was observed in Patiala — seven per cent, said the Minister.
Meanwhile, PPCB chairman Prof Adarsh Paul Vig thanked the people of the state for following the advisory issued with respect to time period fixed for bursting of fire crackers and using the green crackers for celebrations of Diwali festival, resulting in overall improvement in Air Quality as compared to the previous year and 2020 also.
PPCB member secretary Karunesh Garg said that the Board has installed Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) in six cities of Punjab — Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Khanna, MandiGobindgarh and Patiala — to monitor the ambient air quality on real time basis.
