Teams to fan out in Punjab, Himachal to check pollution around Diwali

HARYANA IS YET TO FINALISE THE CITIES AND THE SPOTS THAT WILL BE MONITORED FOR POLLUTION

: In the wake of the directions of the Supreme Court and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are all set to monitor air and noise pollution levels in several cities before and after Diwali due to the fireworks.

But the neighbouring Haryana is yet to finalise the cities and the spots that will be monitored for pollution. The SC recently issued strict guidelines for bursting of firecrackers from 8 pm to 10pm.

Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) Karunesh Garg member secretary said, “Ambient air quality will be monitored in five cities of the state from November 1 to November 15 and there will be three stations— one each in a residential, commercial location — in every city.”

These cities are Patiala, Mandi Gobindgarh, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar.

Also, noise pollution levels will be monitored in 11 cities of the state on November 1 and November 7, Garg said. These cities are Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Ludhiana, Mandi Gobindgarh, Bathinda, Mohali, Batala, Sangrur and Faridkot.

He said teams have been deputed to record the levels of oxides of carbon, sulphur, nitrogen, lead, nickel, chromium, arsenic, ferrous, barium, aluminum and strontium in the air due to cracker-bursting during this time.

Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control (HPSC) member secretary RK Pruthi said 12 places have been earmarked for monitoring air and noise pollution around Diwali. “Ambient air quality shall be monitored from October 31 to November 14,” he said.

These readings will be sent to the CPCB. As per the CPCB guidelines, violating the ban bursting of crackers in silence zones and flouting the permitted decibel limits in commercial, residential and silence zones shall invite prosecution.

“Silence zones have also been notified for these celebrations,” said Garg.