Air quality in 7 Haryana cities remains ‘severe’
According to the CPCB, the air quality in Gurugram, Faridabad, Dharuhera, Fatehabad, Jind, Kaithal and Panipat was ‘severe’ with AQI levels going past 400.
The air quality in seven cities of Haryana remained ‘severe’ while the AQI in nine cities was ‘very poor’ on Sunday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The air quality index (AQI) in three cities was recorded ‘poor’.
According to the CPCB, the air quality in Gurugram, Faridabad, Dharuhera, Fatehabad, Jind, Kaithal and Panipat was ‘severe’ with AQI levels going past 400.
AQI between 0 to 50 is considered good, 51 to 100 satisfactory, and 101 to 200 moderate. However, AQI between 201 to 300 is classified poor, 301 to 400 very poor and it crosses over to the severe zone at 401.
The nine cities with ‘very poor’ AQI were Bahadurgarh, Ballabgarh, Hisar, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Manesar, Rohtak, Sonepat and Yamunanagar. Ambala, Bhiwani and Palwal recorded ‘poor’ AQI while the air quality of Panchkula was ‘moderate’.
Sell, burst firecrackers for only two hours on Diwali: CM
Two days after announcing a complete ban on the sale of firecrackers in the state, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said the state government has now decided to “permit people to sell and burst firecrackers for only two hours on Diwali”.
“The decision has been taken in view of the rising levels of pollution and adhering to the guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding it,” an official spokesperson said, quoting Khattar, who was interacting with reporters in Daulatapur village of Fatehabad on Sunday.
“The chief minister has said people can only burst crackers for two hours on Diwali in the state,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, Khattar had announced a complete ban on the sale of firecrackers in the state to prevent air pollution.