Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 30: On this year’s Diwali, Jammu City has shown an improvement in the Air Quality Index (AQI) as compared to the previous years.
This has been established by the J&K Pollution Control Board on the basis of Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Results for RSPM (PM10), PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 at NAMP monitoring locations in Jammu city on October 27, 2019 (Diwali day).
According to Suresh Chugh, Chairman J&K SPCB, the air quality has improved by 15 percent from the last year and a marked 30 percent from year 2017. This year Jammu’s AQI was 130 as compared to last year’s 158 and 191 of year 2017. The mean level of particulate matter PM10 & PM2.5 on this year’s Diwali eve were 144.6 g/m³ and 48.9 g/m³ respectively while the level of gases like Sox & NOx were 4.61 and 24.4 g/m³ respectively, he explained.
Chairman PCB further added that the marked improvement in the air quality on this year’s Diwali has been a result of various factors including massive awareness campaign carried out by the Pollution Control Board in Print and Electronic Media, notification of time slots for bursting crackers, introduction of Green Crackers in the market and a discernable change in the mindset of the citizens who have celebrated Diwali in more responsible and green way.
As per reports published in print and social media platforms, Jammu has witnessed a decline of 30 percent in the sales of fire crackers on Diwali this year. This has largely been attributed to the voluntary shift to more eco-friendly means like lighting Diyas, lights etc, which is a result of greater environmental sensitization among the masses.
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