Despite government restrictions on fireworks, air quality in Punjab deteriorated sharply on Monday night as thick smoke from Diwali crackers engulfed several cities, turning the atmosphere suffocating. The Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded a dramatic rise within just four hours, pushing many districts into the ‘severe’ category. With Diwali still being celebrated in several parts of Punjab today, pollution levels are expected to surge again.
According to the State Environment Monitoring Centres, the average AQI was 114 till 8 p.m. However, once fireworks began, it shot up to 153 by 9 p.m., crossed 309 after 10 p.m., reached 325 by 11 p.m., and touched 500 at several locations by midnight, marking an extremely hazardous level.
Experts said that even with a limited time window for fireworks, the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) increased multiple times, posing serious health risks. The government had allowed fireworks only from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., but bursting continued throughout the night.
Punjab has only eight air-quality monitoring stations, and among them Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, and Jalandhar recorded the highest levels of pollution. PM2.5 and PM10 levels were found to be 4 to 5 times higher than normal. The thick layer of smog lingered through the night, causing eye irritation, coughing, and breathing difficulties for residents.
Weather experts warned that if winds remain calm, the pollution layer could persist for the next two days. The situation has worsened further due to stubble burning incidents continuing across the state.