AQI In Very Poor, Poor Categories In Parts Of Haryana, Punjab

Chandigarh: The air quality in several parts of Haryana continued to be in the poor and very poor categories, while it was in the poor category in Punjab on Thursday.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Dharuhera in Haryana’s Rewari district recorded 338, while Jind and Rohtak stood at 305 and 302 respectively.

Likewise, Fatehabad recorded 277, Panipat, 275, Charkhi Dadri, 263, Panchkula, 257, Bhiwani, 251, Kurukshetra, 249, Ambala 248, Gurugram, 230, Sonepat, 226 and Karnal, 207.

In Punjab, Mandi Gobindgarh recorded an AQI of 274, Ludhiana 251, Jalandhar, 213, Ropar, 157, Khanna, 152, Amritsar, 151, Patiala, 119, and Bathinda, 90.

An AQI between 0 to 50 is considered ``good’’, between 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’’.

The reasons behind the poor AQI were said to be extended Diwali celebrations and stubble burning in some parts of the two states. The officials, nonetheless, held that there has been a drastic drop in the incidence of farm fires compared to previous years.

The farmers burn the stubble after harvesting the paddy crop in October and November – a practice which is blamed for the rise in air pollution – as the October-to-December window for sowing the rabi crop – wheat – is short.