Air quality drops to ‘poor’ category
Ahead of the festival of Diwali, the air quality in the city today dropped to the ‘poor’ category due to stubble burning in neighbouring states, changing weather conditions and vehicular emissions.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the average air quality index (AQI) shot up to 261 in the city around 5 pm today.
The average AQI stood at 250 around 8 pm. At the Sector 53 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS), bordering Mohali, the maximum AQI was recorded at 253, which indicates ‘poor’ air quality. At the Sector 22 station, the AQI stood at 248.
The increase in the AQI could be chiefly attributed to stubble burning, vehicular pollution and recent climatic shifts, said Dr Ravindra Khaiwal, Professor of Environment Health, Department of Community Medicine, PGI.
Explaining all the three factors, he said, “Burning of crop residue releases pollutants that drift into the city air and worsened the air quality. Calm or light winds limit pollutant dispersion, allowing particles to accumulate. Further, there is high relative humidity, which possibly adds to the secondary air pollution. Owing to the festive season, there is increased traffic in the city. Construction and industrial activities also add to background pollution, especially as lower temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground.”
These factors combine to create temporary AQI spikes, impacting health and visibility, he added. According to experts, if it rains or strong winds start to blow, the air will become clean. Also, if the temperature decreases further, then the AQI can go up to 300 points or more.
Owing to high air pollution, the city has been included in the National Clean Air Programme. To clean the air by 30 to 40 percent, about Rs 32 crore has been released by the Central Government from 2019-2020 till now. The funds are spent on increasing greenery in the areas along the roads, buying vehicles fitted with sprinklers smog guns etc.
In the Clean Air Survey conducted by the Centre in September, Chandigarh’s ranking fell from last year’s 22nd rank to 31st place. An official of the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee said a Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was in place and could be referred to if the situation becomes worse.
Cracker sales begin today
Chandigarh: The UT Administration has allowed the sale of eco-friendly green crackers from tomorrow. As many as 12 vending sites have been designated and inspection teams formed to prevent unauthorised sales. The authorities have advised the citizens to purchase crackers only from the authorised vendors listed by the administration. Also, residents are requested to adhere to the stipulate timings, from 8 pm to 10 pm, for exploding crackers on Diwali.
