PATIALA: The ambient air quality index recorded at seven continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations across Punjab indicates the state celebrated a green Diwali this year compared to the last year’s festival that was celebrated on October 19.Last year, data recorded at three important monitoring stations in Punjab, including Amritsar, Ludhiana and Mandi Gobindgarh, had shown the levels of particulate matter PM10 and particulate matter PM 2.5 were high on Diwali. In Amritsar, the PM10 was 346 micrograms/m3 and PM 2.5 level was at 346 micrograms/m3. In Ludhiana, the PM10 was 412 and PM 2.5 was 433. At Mandi Gobindgarh, PM 10 was 278 and PM 2.5 was 336.The ambient air quality index in Amritsar, Mandi Gobindgarh and Ludhiana was recorded at 287, Ludhiana at 379, and Amritsar (Golden Temple) at 318 micrograms/m3 after Diwali in 2017.However, this year the ambient air quality in Amritsar was recorded at 162 on the eve of Diwali and 226 the next morning. In Ludhiana, it was 147 on the eve of Diwali and 236 the next morning and in Mandi Gobindgarh, it was recorded at 260 on the eve of Diwali and 222 the next morning.The Punjab Pollution Control Board said there was an average increase of just 20% in pollution levels during Diwali this season compared to Diwali last year when the average increase in pollution was recorded at 39.6%.Last year, the AQI in Amritsar was recorded at 204 at 8 pm on Diwali while at 8 am on October 20, the next morning, it was 327. In Ludhiana, the AQI at on the eve of Diwali was 289 while the next morning it was recorded at 377 and at Mandi Gobindgarh it was 217 on the Diwali eve and 289 micrograms/m3 the next morning.The level of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) in the air last year was higher than 2016 because of low level of air dispersion due to very low wind velocity and early harvesting of paddy.The pollution level was high last year because of low level of air dispersion due to very low wind velocity. However, this year the wind velocity remained normal which helped in dispersing pollution post-Diwali.Chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board Satwinder Marwaha said this year the pollution levels remained low due to the Supreme Court ban on bursting crackers. He also added that the number of instances of farm fires recorded were fewer compared to last year due to which the ambient air quality across Punjab was better compared to 2017.

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