All over Punjab today, the air is more dense than before. In cities like Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana, people wake up with a mild cough more often. The morning seems dull, the sun sort of gets hidden behind a weak fog. Even short walks become tiring. People describe, "It's like breathing through dust daily.".
Amritsar is the worst place today. The air quality index there rose to about 220, and that speaks for itself, it's not bad air, it's toxic. There's dust in the air hanging above the roads, and exhaust from traffic contributes to it. You notice a thin smog even in front of the Golden Temple in the morning. People complain of watery eyes and that burning smell that never seems to fade away.
Jalandhar is not lagging much behind. City's AQI has remained short of 168. Roads are in shambles at most places, constructions are open, and each rolling truck appears to leave a cloud behind. Shopkeepers complain even after disinfecting their counter, the dust returns within minutes. It's not just breathing, it's settling down on everything, on faces, on food stalls, on plants.
Meanwhile, Ludhiana is where factory smoke mixes with car exhaust and pollutes the air. The AQI is approximately 160, doctors claim induces asthma and sore throats. The bikers who commute to work claim the worst times are in the evening, "you can almost taste the smoke," one of the employees described.
Kapurthala, the smaller town, is surprisingly one of India's worst polluted places this week. Its air has not been good, primarily because of traffic and very little green space remaining in and around the city. Patiala too, although not so bad, still has an unhealthy AQI of almost 100. Construction dust and exhausts of vehicles appear to be the primary offenders.
Pathankot, however, is a different ball game. AQI went beyond 250, which is hazardous even for sound individuals. People have begun wearing masks again, not due to COVID but due to the air. Physicians are urging children and old people to remain indoors, particularly during the morning when the smog sticks near the surface.
Abohar air is not clean either, at the rate of 118. It has dusty winds, open fields, and car fumes that add to the issue.
Environmentalists tell us the rest of Punjab is anything from "unhealthy" to "poor" air now. Good air is found in very few places left. They attribute it to a combination of dust, stubble burning, and auto exhaust. The worst time, they say, is early morning and evening when the air is thick and stagnant.
They are instructed to stay away from outdoor exercise, wear masks, and install air purifiers, if possible. Parents are complaining about more coughs among children. "It's not bad weather. It's bad air. You can feel it in your lungs," commented one Ludhiana local.
Throughout the state, the atmosphere is exhausted, as though weighed down with excess dust and smoke. The brilliance of the heavens has lost its luster, and the people, some of their nonchalance. Punjab is working overtime than normally for the time being.