Kurukshetra: Air quality poor, experts say climate key cause

Nitish Sharma

Kurukshetra, November 8

The air quality in the district continues to be on the very poor side with the air quality index (AQI) recording an average particulate matter (PM) 2.5 at 319 on Tuesday.

Though the situation is better compared to the same corresponding period last year as PM 2.5 was recorded to be hovering around 380, it is still very poor and can cause respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.

Similarly in Ambala, the air quality index (AQI) recorded an average particulate matter (PM) 2.5 hovering around 293 on Tuesday.

Environmental experts said a reduction in farm fire incidents had been observed but other contributors such as vehicular pollution, construction activities and road dust were contributing to air pollution.

Dr Dipti Grover, Assistant Professor, Institute of Environmental Studies at Kurukshetra University, said, “During October and November, no doubt farm fires and agricultural activities are the additional contributing factor to air pollution. Although a reduction in the number of farm fires has been observed, the air quality is not good. Vehicular pollution (especially from more than 10-year-old vehicles), garbage fire and construction activities are contributing to air pollution. However, the main reason of poor AQI is the nondispersion of pollutants because of drop in temperature, low wind speeds and calm atmospheric conditions during this changing weather.”

“In order to understand the exact situation, we need to do research on the Source Apportionment (SA) study which identifies the ambient air pollution sources and the quantification of their contribution to pollution levels,” she said.

Nitin Mehta, regional officer from Haryana State Pollution Control Board, said, “Due to changing climatic conditions and low winds, dust particles have settled down, which is the prime reason behind the poor air quality. The situation will improve in the next few days.”

Regional Director, Central Pollution Board, Gurnam Singh said, “Besides paddy stubble, there are several contributing factors, including the road dust and climatic conditions behind the current situation. Poor air quality has been a matter of concern and the CPCB is offering a one-time grant to the entrepreneurs to establish pelletisation and torrefaction plants to tackle the paddy straw and reduce the share of stubble-burning in the air pollution.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Agriculture Department Ambala Girish Nagpal said, “There is a considerable fall in the farm fires this year and hardly a couple of cases have been reported in the last couple of days. The department has been making a continuous effort to educate the farmers not to burn paddy stubble. With the department working actively in this direction, we are hopeful that there will be not many farm fire incidents in coming years.”