Jalandhar district’s AQI worsens after Diwali celebrations

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 5

With the quality of air already getting worse day by day in the district, bursting firecrackers on Diwali night added to air pollution. The air quality index (AQI) further slipped from unhealthy state to very unhealthy state post Diwali night.

Crackers sold illegally

• Though the administration had announced a ban on the sale of crackers other than the designated spot, there was no monitoring on the illegal sale of crackers in crowded markets and residential localities. Local retailers not only sold crackers in streets but also sold the previous year's stock. However, despite tall claims, the police did not book any person selling crackers illegally. Senior police officials claimed that no FIR was registered for defying the cracker ban in the district

As per the information extracted from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), the district stood at worst AQI position in the 0-500 AQI mark. Since the wee hours of Friday, the AQI fluctuated between 345 and 350, a very poor category.

With construction activities underway in almost every part of the city over the past few weeks, the air quality has dipped from the moderate to poor category. Besides, the AQI was 215 on Thursday, followed by 159 on Wednesday, 164 on Tuesday and 162 on Monday. Likewise, the air quality will remain in the unhealthy category for the next couple of days.

Paddy straw burning along with vehicular pollution made it one of the most polluted Diwalis reported in recent years. Simultaneously, the air quality in the district also took a turn for the worse with haze enveloping the district on Thursday and Friday.

Coupled with stubble burning cases, the AQI also deteriorated last Diwali. Compared to quality index levels of 282 in 2019 Diwali, the air quality index last year reached 328.

Tejinder Singh, zonal head of PPCB, said undoubtedly, the pollution levels increased during Diwali, but this year the figures were surprising.

“The ‘very unhealthy’ mark (349) can cause respiratory illnesses after prolonged exposure. Hence it is also advisable to the residents suffering from breathing or respiratory problems to not come out on roads,” added Tejinder, who also suggested sprinkling of water on roads to restore the healthy air quality levels in the district.

Cops, on duty on the night of Diwali, confirmed the violation of the time limit with residents bursting crackers all day and late into night much past the permissible 8-10pm window fixed for bursting crackers. Even as cops at Burlton Park cracker market had announced to close the market at 8pm, crackers were sold past the fixed time slot. A huge rush was witnessed at Burlton Park around Diwali this year. People in large numbers converged on the park to burst firecrackers. On Friday night too, crackers were also burst in residential areas.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, as many as 106 stubble burning cases were reported. This was the highest single-daily spike in the number of such cases. Around 965 cases of straw burning have, so far, been reported from September 15 to November 4.

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