The “Green Diwali” campaign in the City Beautiful went for a toss this year again as people continued to burst firecrackers past the permissible time limit, resulting in “very poor” air quality in the city on Monday.
The air quality index was recorded above 300, which is categorized as “very poor”, at various locations in the city.
As per the data with Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee, the air quality index (AQI) was 371 in Sector 22, 352 in IMTECH-Sector 39, 341 in CAAQMS Sector 25, 280 in PEC Sector 12 and 247 in Sector 17.
During 2018 Diwali, the AQI of 388 was recorded in IMTECH-39, 311 in Sector 22, 297 in PEC -12 and 177 in Sector 17.
An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 severe.
A ‘very poor’ AQI essentially means that people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure to such air. If the air quality dips further, the AQI turns ‘severe’, which may trouble even those with sound health conditions and seriously affect those with ailment.
Following Court directions, bursting of fire crackers was only permissible between 8 PM to 10 PM on the occasion of Diwali on October 27.
As per the data, the PM2.5 levels stood at 212 µg/m3 in Sector 22 (residential), 187 µg/m3 in Sector 39, 114 µg/m3 in Sector PEC -12, 173 µg/m3 in CAAQMS, Sector 25 and 104 µg/m3 in Sector 17 on the night of Diwali this year against the levels of 134 µg/m3 in Sector 22, 83 µg/m3 in Sector 17, 119 µg/m3in PEC 12, and 225 µg/m3 in Sector 17 Diwali 2016.
A week before on October 21, the PM 2.5 levels stood at 63 µg/m3 in Sector 23, 63 µg/m3 at Sector 17, 47 µg/m3 in IMTECH-39 and 55 µg/m3 in CAAQMS, Sector 25.
The permissible limit for PM2.5 is 60 µg/m3while its 100 µg/m3 for PM 10. Both PM 10- (particulate matters with diameter of 10 microns or less) and PM2.5 (particulate matters less than 2.5 microns)-form of air pollution, can cause severe health problems.
As far as PM10 is concerned, it was also recorded above permissible limits in the city on the occasion of Diwali. PM 10 value of 280 µg/m3 was recorded in Sector 22, 173 µg/m3 in Sector 17, 141 µg/m3 in PEC -12, 240 µg/m3 in IMTECH -39, 236 µg/m3 in CAAQMS (Sector 25).
Talking to The Pioneer, Debendra Dalai, IFS, Director, UT Environment Department and Vice-Chairman, Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee said that as compared to last year’s Diwali, the air quality index worsened in three locations recorded as ‘very poor’ while in Sector 17, it was categorized as ‘poor’.
He said that apart from bursting of crackers during Diwali, three other factors also led to deteriorating air quality in the city. The factors included increase in relative humidity, direction of wind i.e. north-east (from industrial areas of Baddi, HP towards Chandigarh) and stubble burning in adjoining areas.
Three days before Diwali, the air quality had deteriorated in the city due to these three factors.
Certainly, the bursting of crackers on the occasion of Diwali also led to increase in the pollution levels in the city, he added.
Dalai said that while the air quality index was recorded as ‘very poor’, the noise levels were recorded under permissible limits.
The noise level was recorded at 79.7 decibels (dB) in Sector 22 between 8 pm to 9 pm this Diwali compared to 80.3 dB recorded during last year's celebrations in Sector 22. From 66.9 dB last year recorded in the same time period in Sector17 (commercial), the level declined to 64.8dB this year.
Similarly in PEC-12 , the noise levels recorded this year was 68.2 db (8 pm to 9 pm), lesser than 74.4 db last year. In IMTECH-39, the noise level recorded was 63.1 db (9 pm to 10 pm) as compared to 74.4 db last year during the same time period.