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Patiala : The analysis of air quality data of Punjab during Diwali 2017 by PPCB show that the pollution level in the air has increased by 24% on Diwali day 2017 as compared to pre Diwali day whereas there was increase of pollution by 70% on Diwali day in 2016 compared to pre Diwali day.
The data released by PPCB indicate that Air Quality Index (AQI) of Punjab on Diwali 2016 had increased from 130 on pre Diwali day to 228 on Diwali day thereby recording an increase of 70% in the pollution level. On the other hand side Diwali 2017 saw AQI increasing to 328 as compared to AQI of 265 on pre Diwali day indicating an increase in pollution level by 24% only.
Giving the city wise detail a spokesman of PPCB stated that the percentage increase in AQI in Mandi Gobindgarh has been noted as 17% this year as compared to about 163% last year. Similarly this increase in AQI in Ludhiana has been noticed as 24% this year as compared to 50% last year. Amritsar city witnessed percentage increase in AQI from the pre Diwali day to Diwali day by 45% this year as compared to 63% increase on diwali day last year.
Spokesman of PPCB indicated that level of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) in the air this year has been higher than the last year because of low level of air dispersion due to very low wind velocity and early harvesting of paddy crop.
He further stated that incidents of paddy straw burning recorded about 3 times increase in the number of incidents on Diwali day at 1188 as compared to average of 400 per day incidents on pre Diwali days.
