Air quality worsens in several parts of Haryana; AQI 400 at Bahadurgarh

Air quality deteriorated sharply across several parts of Haryana and Punjab on Monday following Diwali celebrations, with Bahadurgarh recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 400, at the upper limit of the ‘very poor’ category.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) 24-hour average AQI bulletin issued at 4 pm, several Haryana cities reported pollution levels exceeding 300, indicating very poor air quality.

Bahadurgarh emerged as the most polluted among the locations mentioned in the bulletin, followed by Charkhi Dadri at 389 and Rohtak at 378.

Faridabad recorded an AQI of 350, while Kaithal registered 347, Gurugram 345 and Bhiwani 340.

Other cities reporting very poor air quality included Manesar at 333, Ballabhgarh at 316 and Narnaul at 305.

𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The pollution levels indicated widespread deterioration across Haryana, particularly in urban and industrial centres.

Several cities also recorded AQI readings in the ‘poor’ category.

Hisar registered an AQI of 291, followed by Panipat at 286, Kurukshetra at 235, Yamunanagar at 203 and Karnal at 201.

Although these readings were lower than those recorded in Bahadurgarh and Charkhi Dadri, they nevertheless indicated unhealthy air quality, particularly for people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.

Under the CPCB classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, 401–450 ‘severe’ and above 450 ‘severe plus’.

The 24-hour averages reflected pollution levels recorded during the period following the festival celebrations.

𝐏𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐚𝐛 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐢𝐫

Neighbouring Punjab also witnessed deteriorating air quality, with Jalandhar and Mandi Gobindgarh registering identical AQI readings of 336, placing both cities in the ‘very poor’ category.

Ludhiana recorded an AQI of 292, while Amritsar registered 257 and Patiala 221, all falling within the ‘poor’ category.

The readings indicated that elevated pollution levels were not confined to Haryana, with several urban centres across Punjab also experiencing unhealthy air.

Chandigarh, the common capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded an AQI of 148, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category.

Its air quality was considerably better than that of several surrounding cities, although the reading still indicated the presence of pollutants at levels that could affect sensitive individuals.

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐢𝐫

Air quality in the ‘very poor’ category can cause respiratory illness on prolonged exposure, while pollution in the ‘poor’ category may lead to breathing discomfort among vulnerable individuals.

Children, elderly people and those suffering from asthma or other respiratory conditions are particularly susceptible to elevated pollution levels.

Firecracker emissions can contribute to short-term increases in particulate matter, while weather conditions, vehicular emissions, industrial activity and other sources also influence overall air quality.

The post-Diwali deterioration has once again highlighted the air pollution challenges faced by Haryana and Punjab during the winter season.

The CPCB's daily AQI readings provide an assessment of ambient air quality over the preceding 24 hours, rather than pollution levels at a single point in time.

With several cities reporting readings close to the severe threshold, the figures underscored the extent of the deterioration across the region following the festival.