Post Diwali, Himachal Pradesh breathes ‘moderate’ air

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, November 14

The air quality index (AQI) in 11 key cities and towns of the state varied from ‘satisfactory’ to ‘moderate’ during Diwali.

It varied from good to moderate during the pre-Diwali duration from November 5 to 11 as per an ambient air quality monitoring conducted by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB).

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 from the pre-Diwali days.

As many as 11 cities and towns comprising Shimla, Parwanoo, Dharamsala, Damtal (Jassur), Sundernagar, 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 (NO2).

“The impact of 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, while at Shimla, Parwanoo, Damtal, Sundernagar, Kala Amb, Baddi, Nalagarh and Manali, the AQI was in the satisfactory category. In comparison to pre-Diwali and Diwali day from last year, the ambient air quality deteriorated in 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 said the efforts to create awareness on the use of green crackers has helped to contain the pollution vis-a-vis previous years.

In Shimla, the AQI level 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 rose from 44 during pre-Diwali duration to 140 on Diwali, showing more than 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 reflected in Nalagarh with the figures showing a slight increase from 71 to 85 during this duration. In the industrial town of Kala Amb, the trend was again similar with the AQI showing a slight increase from 67 to 83 during this duration.

The higher AQI was directly proportional to the human settlements as more people meant larger use of crackers. Though the industrial towns of Baddi, Nalagarh,Paonta Sahib and Kala Amb figure among the non-attainment cities nationally where the AQI have fallen short of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, they registered only a slight increase in the AQI during Diwali. This was attributed to the closure of the industries, lack of vehicular movement and closure of the construction activities on Diwali. The AQI was largely attributed to bursting of crackers.

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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