The air quality of Chandigarh has dropped to “poor” category (206) as the pollution contents, including particulate matter PM10 and PM2.5, reached alarming figures in the last 24 hours here.
“Poor” category (201-300) air causes breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which monitors the real-time air quality index (AQI), Chandigarh’s air quality deteriorated after 6 pm on Saturday. Officials of Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) has advised people to use face masks and cautioned against heavy exercises when they feel breathing difficulty.
On Friday, around 10 pm, the concentration of PM10 and PM2.5 was recorded at 220 microgram per cubic metre and 333 microgram per cubic metre, respectively, which falls in the categories of “poor” and “very poor”, causing breathing difficulty and respiratory illnesses to people on prolonged exposure to that quality of air. On Saturday, the readings taken were 237 and 334, respectively.
The pollution contents in Chandigarh worsened in the backdrop of at least 1,551 stubble burning incidents reported in Punjab on Friday, taking the total number of such cases to 5,140 in just three days. The AQI of Delhi was also recorded in the “severe” category on Friday.
An officer of the CPCC said, “Though the overall AQI of Chandigarh was in the ‘moderate’ category yesterday despite the fluctuating pollution contents, the air quality reading recorded stood at 206 which falls in ‘poor’ category.
We observed that after 6 pm on Saturday, the AQI in the city worsened. There could be several reasons, including farm fires in Punjab and heavy vehicular rush owing to the ongoing festival season, for the air quality deterioration.”
The officer added, “We monitor the real-time air quality index through three Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) installed at Sector 22, Sector 25 and Sector 53. Because of temperature inversion, the AQI has deteriorated. People should use face masks whenever they venture out.”
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According to the CPCB, except the CAAQMS installed at Sector 25, which recorded AQI level between the “moderate” and “good” categories, the other two stations showed that the air quality was in the “poor” category at 203 (Sector 22) and 206, respectively.
The CAAQMS, Sector 22, recorded a PM10 concentration of 413 microgram per cubic metre, while the PM2.5 value was 317 microgram per cubic metre.
The CAAQMS, Sector 53, recorded a PM10 concentration of 237 microgram per cubic metre, while that of PM2.5 was 334 microgram per cubic metre.
