Air quality ‘severe’ in Fatehabad, Hisar; ‘poor’ in Panipat, Sonepat

Tribune Reporters

Panipat/Karnal, November 1

Despite the tall claims of the authorities, the air quality has reached “poor” in Sonepat and Panipat and has been recorded “severe” in Fatehabad and Hisar today. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was 293 in Panipat and 281 in Sonepat in the morning.

The AQI is a measure of the concentration of various pollutants in the air and it ranges from 0 to 500.

The air quality in various districts is deteriorating with the gradual dip in temperature. Data collected by online monitoring systems in the state until 6 pm today shows a grim picture of the state.

As per reports by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Fatehabad and Hisar are in the “severe” category, with 420 and 405 AQI, respectively. Bahadurgarh, Rohtak, Kaithal, Bhiwani and Faridabad were in the “very poor” category with the AQI of 382, 378, 377, 365 and 348, respectively.

The AQI of Charkhi Dadri (298), Kurukshetra (295), Panipat (293), Sonepat (281), Sirsa (274), Karnal (267), Daruhera (246), Ballabhgarh (235) and Gurugram (238) is in “poor” category while other districts fall in “moderate” category.

Meanwhile, the state recorded 99 farm fires today, taking the total number to 1,296 in the state so far. As per data, the state had recorded 3,038 fire farms in 2021 and 2,083 cases last year.

Pradeep Singh, Regional Officer (RO), HSPCB, Sonepat, said climatic condition was a main reason behind the decline in air quality.

A total of 74 fire incidents had been reported in the district so far, of which 36 fires were from agriculture fields and two of garbage burning. Three farmers had been booked for stubble burning, he said, adding that the cases had started to decline, as the harvesting of non-basmati paddy crops was nearly done, and 50 per cent of basmati harvesting remained.

Grap-2 had been implemented in the district as the AQI had crossed 200, the RO stated.

The deteriorated air quality can have adverse effects on the health of people, especially those who are already suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, asthma, or allergies. Patients are coming to hospitals with such symptoms.

Dr Jagdish Dureja, Director, KCGMC, advised people suffering from respiratory diseases to walk in safe areas as the deteriorating air quality could cause problems like breathing difficulty, coughing and irritation in the eyes, nose and throat. “People are advised to drink plenty of water and fluids to flush out toxicants from the body. They must eat healthy foods and antioxidants. People should adopt the habit of vehicle sharing to reduce air pollution,” said the Director.