Known for their over-the-top celebrations, the Punjabis this year indulged in comparatively “less polluted” Diwali. Attribute it to the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s edict or sentience towards green celebrations, the air pollution levels across the State on Thursday - the Diwali eve - witnessed substantial drop in comparison to the previous year.
As per the figures released by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) on Friday, the State’s air quality analysis indicated that the pollution level had increased by just 24 per cent this Diwali. The same figures was recorded at 70 per cent the previous, noted the PPCB official.
The air quality in the State was already close to the “very poor” mark with the PPCB recording the average air quality index (AQI) on Wednesday, a day before Diwali, at 290.
“We were apprehending that the AQI on Diwali night will touch the 500-mark which is ‘severe’, and has the potential to cause respiratory problems even among normal healthy people,” a senior PPCB official told The Pioneer.
AQI during previous Diwali night, between 8 m and 2 am, had reached the dangerous level of 497, said he official while attributing the decline in pollution levels more to the High Court’s directives, and some to PPCB efforts.
“Except some mischievous ones, people generally abide the three-hour deadline set by the High Court. But, there are many cases across the state where the directives were violated. But it was a good step and will go a long way,” said the official.
PPCB figures revealed that the state’s AQI a day ahead of Diwali in 2016 was recorded at 130, which was “increased by 70 per cent to 228 on Diwali day”.
“This year, the AQI increased to 328 from 265, indicating an increase in pollution level of only 24 per cent,” the Board said.
The percentage increase in AQI in Mandi Gobindgarh has been recorded at 17 per cent this year as compared to about 163 per cent last year, a PPCB spokesperson said while giving city-wise details.
The increase in AQI in ludhiana was 24 per cent this year as compared to 50 per cent the previous year. In Amritsar city, it was 45 per cent compared to 63 per cent recorded on the previous Diwali, he said.
Spokesperson said that the level of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) this year has been higher because of low level of air dispersion due to very low wind velocity and early harvesting of paddy crop.
The PPCB official noted that the incidents of paddy straw burning recorded about three times increase in the number of incidents on Diwali day at 1188 as compared to average of 400 per day incidents on pre-Diwali days.