Lockdown reduces pollution across Haryana, air quality turns good from moderate, satisfactory levels

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, April 2

The lockdown to curtail the spread of covid pandemic has resulted in fall in pollution level and improvement in air quality across Haryana.

The air quality index (AQI) has dropped to good from satisfactory levels in majority of the cities of the state, while to satisfactory level from moderate and poor quality levels in remaining cities.

A Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) report, compiled between March 21 (day before “Janta Curfew”) and March 28 (fourth day after lockdown), indicates pollution levels have plummeted due to reduction in vehicular traffic, shutdown of industries across the state and people are breathing relatively cleaner air.

In the wake of Covid pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged people for “Janta Curfew” for March 22, and declared a lockdown of 21 days from midnight of March 24/25.

As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI has six categories. The AQI between 0 and 50 falls in good category, 51-100 in satisfactory, 101-200 in moderate, 201-300 in poor, 301-400 in very poor and 401-500 in severe category.

Karnal and Panipat cities witnessed a drastic change in the improvement of air quality from poor to good and satisfactory, respectively. The AQIs of Karnal and Panipat were 230 and 223, respectively, which have now reduced to 39 and 54, said Dr Jai Bhagwan, Senior Scientist, HSPCB, Panchkula.

Ambala saw AQI fall from moderate to good (128 to 36) while Bhadurgarh has witnessed a considerable improvement in AQI from 179 on March 21 to 39 now. The AQI of Ballabgarh was 56 on March 21 and has now dropped to 46. Bhiwani has also witnessed an improvement in air quality, which was 102 on March 21 and is 55 at present. The AQI of Dharuhera has touched 36 from 174, while of Fatehabad 47 from 81. Hisar and Jind also saw significant changes in air quality as it reduced to 24 and 49 from 113 and 133, respectively.

The AQI of Kaithal has reached 32 from 116, Kurukshetra 34 from 148, Mewat 80 from 120, Manesar 43 from 105, Narnaul 23 from 59 and of Palwal 56 from 115, said Dr Jai Bhagwan.

The AQI of Sirsa has reached 43 from 76, Sonepat 62 from 180, Yamunanagar 32 from 176, Gurugram 54 from 126, Rohtak 26 from 146, Panchkula 46 from 73 and Faridabad 64 from 174, Dr Jai Bhagwan maintained.