Diwali is less polluted this year

Patiala(29^th Oct, 2011): The ambient air quality data of Punjab Pollution Control Board has  established that Diwali is less polluted this year. This significant improvement in air quality is due to pro-active measures taken by the Board and more and more people taking a green pledge this year.

            Disclosing this to press Dr. Babu Ram Member Secretary of Punjab Pollution Control Board said that as usual the Ludhiana is  more polluted followed by Jalandhar, Amritsar, Mandi Gobindgarh & Patiala w.r.t Respirable particulate matter, Suplhur dioxide & Oxide of Nitrogen. Elaborating the results, he said that RSPM level in the Residential areas   were analyzed to be 365,245,349,287& 244 µgm/m³ for Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Mandi Gobindgarh & Patiala respectively where as it was 367,253,462,298 and 260 µgm/m^3r respectively during last year Diwali. The trend in commercial areas indicate that Ludhiana is more  polluted with RSPM level was upto 489 µgm/m³whereas Patiala is least polluted where RSPM level was 234 µgm/m³ as against the figure of 511 µgm/m³   and 268 µgm/m³     of the two cities last year. Similarly Sox for Ludhianawas 28 µgm/m³     as compared to 38 µgm/m³     of last year where as NOx has been found to be 46 as against 53 µgm/m³    last year. Same trend was found in other cities also. Most interesting feature is related to Golden Temple Complex where the RSPM level has been reduced to 401 as compared to last year figure of 462 µgm/m^{3 .}

            Similarly the maximum noise level in the residential area was  85.3 dB(A)  at Patialawhere as it was 69.1 dB(A) at Amritsar. In sensitive area Ludhianawas most noisy having noise level 77.8 dB(A)  whereas it was 54 dB(A) at Jalandhar. Patiala again was most noisy in commercial areas where noise level was 85.7 dB(A) and Jalandhar was least noisy where the noise level was 61.5 dB(A). This shows that less fire crackers but the same were of higher noise level were cracked in Patiala.  

            Dr. Babu Ram said that the green pledge taken by the student and the pro-active media campaign launched by the Board played a vital role in reducing the ambient air pollution considerably as compared to the previous years. Air pollution load from crackers was lesser this year as per the sale statistics which show a drastic fall in the sale figures.

            Sh K.S. Pannu Chairman of the Board thank the SGPC for showing the exemplary way of Environmental Protection by the reducing the time of Aatashbazi at Golden Temple Complex. Mr. Pannu also thank the children of the state for saying not to crackers.

            Sh Vishwajeet Khann Secretary Environment Govt. of Punjab also thank the people of Punjabfor realizing there responsibility towards Environment and encouraging their children not fire the crackers. He hoped that the trend shall further pick up the pace in the state in the year to come.