National desk
1 November
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
The day after Diwali, air quality levels in Punjab and Haryana recorded significantly high Air Quality Index (AQI) values, falling into the ‘bad’ and ‘very bad’ categories. In Chandigarh, the AQI was also marked as ‘very poor.’ The highest AQI was recorded at 344 in Gurugram, Haryana, and 331 in Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab, as of 9 a.m., according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) app.
The Meteorological Department classifies AQI between 201-300 as ‘poor,’ 301-400 as ‘very bad,’ and 401-500 as ‘severe.’ Other cities showed high AQI levels as well: Amritsar at 314, Khanna at 308, Patiala at 260, and Jalandhar at 253. In Haryana, aside from Gurugram, Jind recorded an AQI of 340, Ambala 308, and Kurukshetra 304.
While only green firecrackers were permitted for Diwali celebrations from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., some residents in Chandigarh continued setting off fireworks past the allowed time. Punjab authorities have restricted green firecrackers for limited hours during festivals, aiming to mitigate pollution, yet post-Diwali air quality still suffered across the region.