Diwali downer: Haryana, Punjab report AQI in 'poor' and 'very poor' categories

Chandigarh, Oct 31 (PTI) Several places in Haryana reported air quality index (AQI) in the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories on Diwali night on Thursday.

Many places in Punjab as well as in the Union Territory of Chandigarh reported air quality index in the 'poor' category. As of 11 pm on Thursday, the AQI in Gurugram in Haryana was recorded at 322, 336 in Jind and 306 in Charkhi Dadri, according to the Sameer app that provides hourly updates of the national AQI published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Among other places in Haryana, as of 11 pm, AQI in Ambala was recorded at 201, in Bahadurgarh it was 292, Bhiwani 278, Ballabhgarh 211, Faridabad 245, Kurukshetra 270, Panchkula 220, Rohtak 222 and Sonipat at 258.

Chandigarh's AQI was recorded at 239 as of 11 pm on Thursday.

In Jalandhar, the AQI at 11 pm was 256, while at Ludhiana, it was 234, Mandi Gobindgarh 266, while Patiala recorded an AQI of 244.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus'.

Meanwhile, Diwali was celebrated with great fervour, gaiety and enthusiasm in Haryana and Punjab on Thursday. Candles, diyas (earthen lamps) and electric lights dotted houses as people exchanged sweets and gifts on the occasion and burst firecrackers.

The authorities granted permission to burn only "green crackers" for a restricted period of time on Diwali day.

In Chandigarh, the twin capital of Punjab and Haryana, use of only green crackers was allowed within a designated time limit between 8 pm and 10 pm.

However, in many parts of Chandigarh, people continued to burst firecrackers well past the 10 pm limit.

The Punjab government recently said that only green firecrackers will be allowed during festival celebrations for Diwali, Gurpurab, Christmas and New Year's eve.

Only green crackers, which are free from barium salts or compounds of antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic, lead or strontium chromate, were permitted for sale and use in Punjab, an official statement released earlier said. PTI