Air quality drops in Patiala, Ludh, Amritsar & Bathinda

PATIALA: With farmers in certain areas of the state setting the paddy stubble on fire, the ambient air quality index (AQI) has started showing signs of deterioration at four out of eight continuous ambient air quality monitors stations (CAAQMSs) installed across the state.


The latest analysis of the CAAQMSs data shows that till a few days back, the AQI readings were in the bracket of minimal impact on human health.

On Saturday, the CAAQMS figures at Amritsar , Ludhiana, Patiala and Bathinda had deteriorated to third bracket of moderate pollution which according to the scientists and doctors can cause breathing discomfort to the people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases.

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The CAAQMS installed at Amritsar recorded an AQI of 160 ug/m3 with the reading of PM 2.5 pollutants ranging between 64 ug/m3 to 310 ug/m3 and Pm 10 pollutants in the range of 69 ug/m3 to 120 ug/m3.

At Ludhiana, the AQI was 103 ug/m3 with PM 2.5 pollutants ranging between 52 ug/m3 and 115 ug/m3 and PM 10 levels being measured between 58 ug/m3 and 103 ug/m3. At Patiala, the ambient air quality was recorded at 115 ug/m3 with PM 2.5 level breaching the 163 ug/m3 and the PM10 crossing 153 ug/m3 mark. Similarly, at Bathinda, the AQI was 104 ug/m3 with PM 2.5 at maximum of 58 ug/m3 and PM 10 at 90 ug/m3.

The AQI was 92 ug/m3 at Jalandhar, 88 ug/m3 at Khanna and 96 ug/m3 at Mandi Gobindgarh . The data collected at Rupnagar was not sufficient enough to compute the AQI.

Last year on the corresponding day, the AQI was 133 ug/m3 at Amritsar, 108 ug/m3 at Bathinda, 86 ug/m3 at Jalandhar, 81 ug/m3 at Khanna, 108 ug/m3 at Ludhiana, 110 ug/m3 at Mandi Gobindgarh, 69 ug/m3 at Patiala and 56 ug/m3 at Rupnagar.