Punjab: Air Quality This Diwali Better Than Last 2 Years, Says Environment Minister

Six cities in Punjab observed improvement in the air quality index during this year's Diwali as compared to what it was in 2020 and 2021.

The Punjab government on Tuesday said the state's air quality was better this Diwali as compared to what it was on the festival day last time and the year before, news agency PTI reported. The average AQI of Punjab this Diwali was 224 (in the poor category) as compared to 268 in 2021 and 328 (very poor) in 2020, said Punajb Environment Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer in an official statement.

The minister also took to Twitter and posted, "Punjab has observed the AQI reduction of 16.4% from the last year and 31.7% as comparative to 2020."

He further stated, “Due to constant efforts of the Punjab Pollution Control Board and appeal by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, this year's air quality on Diwali improved compared to last year.”

He stated that no city was in the'moderate' category last year or in 2020, but this year, Khanna and Mandi Gobindgarh were.

On Diwali this year, Amritsar had an AQI of 262. The AQI in 2020 was 386, as per the statement. 

Six cities in Punjab observed improvement in the air quality index during this year's Diwali as compared to what it was in 2020 and 2021.

The air quality of Amritsar and Jalandhar was in the 'very poor' category in 2021 and four cities Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala were in the 'very poor' category in 2020, as per the official statement. 

Meanwhile, Punjab Pollution Control Board Chairman Adarsh Paul Vig thanked the people of the state for following the advisory about the time period fixed for bursting firecrackers, resulting in an overall improvement in air quality as compared to 2021 and 2020, PTI reported. 

An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'. 

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai also stated on Tuesday that pollution levels in the national capital were the lowest in five years following Diwali, and that there was a 30% decrease in the bursting of firecrackers in the city, adding that "people are becoming aware."

According to news agency PTI, the Air Quality Index in the national capital on Monday was classified as "very poor" due to an increase in stubble burning, firecracker burning, and moderately unfavourable meteorological conditions that allowed pollutants to accumulate.

(With Inputs From PTI)