AQI deteriorates in Sonepat, Panipat after Diwali

Mukesh Tandon

Sonepat, November 15

The air quality again began deteriorating in Sonepat and Panipat after Diwali. However, no farm fire has been reported in both districts in the past one week.

The air quality index (AQI), which was under the ‘satisfactory’ and ‘moderate’ category a day before Diwali, reached a ‘poor’ category on the next day. On Wednesday the air quality became ‘very poor’.

As per data collected by the Central Pollution Control Board, the AQI of Sonepat was 433 on November 9, which was ‘severe’, but after rain the next day, the AQI was 315. The air quality improved for two days and the AQI recorded was 87 on November 11 and 106 on November 12.But, on the very next day of Diwali, the air quality reached a ‘poor’ category and the AQI recorded 264 on November 13 and 281 on November 14, but on Wednesday the AQI recorded 365, which is under ‘very poor’ category. Similarly, in Panipat the air quality was ‘very poor’ before it rained and the AQI was 323 and 311 on November 9 and November 10, respectively. The AQI improved after rain and recorded 130 and 113 on November 11 and November 12.

After Diwali, the AQI was again ‘very poor’ and was recorded at 317 on November 13. The AQI recorded was 300 on November 14 and 256 today, which is under the ‘poor’ category. In Panipat, the prominent pollutant was PM 2.5, which recorded 302 maximum and average 252 while the PM10 recorded maximum 156 and average 144 today. Pradeep Kumar, Regional Officer, HSPCB, Sonepat, said, “Now there is a dip in temperature due to which the air quality has deteriorated, but it will improve in coming days. No farm fire has been reported in the past one week in the district,” he claimed.