Air quality dips again, straw burning, industry to blame

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 26

The air-quality level, which had improved considerably over the past two months because of the lockdown in the state, has started deteriorating again as restrictions have been eased. Stubble-burning and emissions from industrial units and brick-kilns are the reasons for the poor air quality.

The air quality index (AQI) of the state has been hovering around 200, which is the “moderate” level on the AQI chart, this week. During the lockdown, the state recorded a low of 36 on some days.

The 0-50 RSPM (Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 severe.

On May 25, the state’s AQI was 110. The industrial town of Mandi Gobindgarh recorded an AQI of 213, while the industrial hub of Ludhiana recorded an AQI of 85, Amritsar 69, Patiala 101, Khanna 102 and Jalandhar 91.

AQI in moderate category

The air quality index (AQI) of the state has been hovering around 200, which is the ‘moderate’ level on the AQI chart. During the lockdown, the state recorded a low of 36.

On the same day last year, the AQI in the state was 84, with Amritsar at 57, Ludhiana 62, Mandi Gobindgarh 136, Patiala 65 and Jalandhar 101.

The air quality during the lockdown was most of the time “good” and at times “satisfactory”. But this month, the air quality oscillated between “moderate” and “poor” zones.

Environmentalists say the improvement in the air quality during the lockdown proved humans are to blame for pollution.

“This time, farm fires have broken records of the past two years. This is one of main reasons for the poor air quality after the lockdown restrictions were eased. Another factor is that the industry has resumed operations,” said Karunesh Garg, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) member secretary.

The PPCB data shows that 13,026 incidents of stubble burning were reported between April 15 and May 24 across the state. The number of such incidents during the corresponding period last year was 10,476. And a year before that, it was 11,236.

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