Post Diwali, AQI in major cities and towns of Himachal varied from ‘satisfactory’ to ‘moderate’

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, November 14

The Air Quality Index of the state’s 11 cities and towns during Diwali varied from ‘satisfactory’ to ‘moderate’, as per an ambient air quality monitoring conducted by the state pollution control board.

It varied from ‘good’ to ‘moderate’ during pre-Diwali, as per the monitoring conducted from November 5 to 11.

Una registered the highest AQI of 153 followed by 140 at Dharamsala and 111 at Paonta Sahib, while the industrial cluster of Baddi, Nalagarh and Kala Amb registered only a marginal increase.

As many as  11 cities and towns comprising Shimla, Parwanoo, Dharamshala, Damtal (Jassur), Sunder Nagar, Paonta Sahib, Kala Amb, Una, Baddi, Nalagarh and Manali  were monitored for key parameters like Respirable Particulate Matter (PM10), Respirable Particulate Matter (PM2.5), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx).

“The impact of the firecrackers was clearly visible at all monitoring locations on Diwali day as the AQI of the State were higher in comparison to pre-Diwali. At Dharamsala, Paonta Sahib and Una the AQI was “Moderate” and at Shimla, Parwanoo, Damtal, Sundernagar, Kala Amb, Baddi, Nalagarh and Manali the AQI was “Satisfactory” category.

On comparison of pre-Diwali and Diwali day from last year, the ambient air quality deteriorated at Shimla, Parwanoo, Dharamsala, Sundernagar and Manali, while it improved at Damtal, Paonta Sahib, Kala Amb, Baddi and Nalagarh,” informed Anil Joshi, member secretary, SPCB.

He added that efforts to create awareness on use of green crackers has helped to contain the pollution vis-a-vis previous years.

In Shimla, the level of AQI doubled from 39 during pre-Diwali duration to 78 on Diwali.

In Dharamsala, which is known for its lush green environs, the level of AQI plummeted from 44 during pre-Diwali duration to 140 on Diwali; thus showing more than a triple increase.

In Una, the change was nearly two and a half times more on Diwali where as against 61 AQI registered during the pre-Diwali duration it jumped to 153 on Diwali.

The state’s industrial hub of Baddi registered a marginal increase from 89 to 96 during this duration and the same trend reciprocated in Nalagarh with the figures showing a slight increase from 71 to 85. 

In another industrial town of Kala Amb, the trend was similar with the AQI showing a slight increase from 67 to 83 during this duration.

The industrial town of Parwanoo, however, registered more than double the increase from 35 to 87 during this period.

In the tourist town of Manali, the AQI registered an appreciable increase from 29 to 55, while in Sundernagar it rose from 54 to 84.

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