Sonepat, Bahadurgarh record ‘very poor’ air quality, 14 cities ‘poor’
With Bahadurgarh and Sonepat recording ‘very poor’ air quality and 14 cities, including Bhiwani, Jind, Kaithal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Rohtak, and Sirsa, recording ‘poor’ air quality on Sunday, Haryana residents continue to breath polluted air.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s air quality index (AQI) for PM 2.5 levels, Bahardurgarh recorded AQI at 335 and Sonepat 321. The cities with poor air quality included Bhiwani (300), Karnal (282), Gurugram (281), Charkhi Dadri (280), Manesar (267), Rohtak (260), Faridabad (250), Jind (241), Kurukshetra (240), Sirsa (236), Kaithal (221), Fatehabad (214), Dharuhera (206) and Narnaul (206).
Environmental experts believe that some local factors are among the major contributors for the current conditions and the Haryana residents are unlikely to see any major relief.
Meanwhile, Ambala (118), Palwal (153), Panchkula (135), Panipat (187) and Yamunanagar (159) were among the cities with ‘moderate’ air quality.
Nirmal Kashyap, senior environmental engineer at the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, said, “Several local factors along with the sporadic incidents of farm fires and bursting of crackers during Diwali are the major contributors in the current situation. Road dust, human activities and industrial emission are also the contributors. The meteorological conditions are changing and the air flow is very limited due to which the dispersion of dust has stopped.”
“The situation is likely to stay due to changing weather conditions. The winter and foggy days are yet to approach. During foggy days the dispersion of pollutants stop. However, the situation is better as compared to last year and the efforts are visible,” he added.
Meanwhile, with 19 fresh cases of farm fires in the state reported on Sunday, the number of farm fires in the state have increased to 857.
As many as 1,372 cases of farm fires were reported as compared to the corresponding period last year.
Of the 19 fresh cases, five were reported from Fatehabad, four each were reported from Sirsa and Jind, two each from Panchkula and Sonepat, and one each Faridabad and Karnal. With 158 cases, Kaithal has reported the maximum farm fires, followed by Kurukshetra with 129 cases, Karnal (82) and Ambala (78).
Taking serious note of farm fires incidents in Kurukshetra, the authorities have filed prosecution cases against 19 employees for alleged negligence in stopping farm fires last month. The officials, including five block development officers, six SHOs and some officials of the Agriculture Department, were the members of flying squads constituted to stop farm fire incidents in the district.
Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra, Rajesh Jogpal said “Criminal proceedings have been already filed in the respective courts against the officials. They were the members of flying squad teams. Show-cause notices were issued, but they didn’t reply following which the action was initiated. Four officials of the Agriculture Department and one official of the pollution control board have already been suspended.”
19 fresh cases of stubble burning
Haryana recorded 19 fresh active fire incidents on Sunday, bringing the total count of farm fire cases to 857. However, the number of the total cases till November 3 is significantly down compared to last year during the same duration when the state recorded 1,372 cases. So far, Jind and Fatehabad districts reported 67 cases each, while Sonepat district has recorded 45 cases, followed by Faridabad (38), Palwal (36), Sonepat (35), Yamunanagar (34), and Panipat (31). Similarly, Hisar has recorded 23 cases, said the data.
