Patiala, October 22: Comparing the prevalent atmospheric situation in Punjab to that of a gas chamber, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) said the pollution level in the state had attained alarming proportions.
During the continuous monitoring of the air quality over the past 10 days, it has been found that ambient air quality index is over 300 micrograms per cubic metre. The major cause of air pollution is stubble-burning, the board stated.
A spokesman for the board said levels of tiny particulate matter-10 (PM-10) reached as high as 329 microgram per cubic metre and that of PM-2.5 is 329 microgram per cubic metre.
PPCB chairman KS Pannu said due to the decreased wind velocity and a gradual fall in temperatures, the state could soon witness a smog-like situation. He said the board was making repeated appeals to the farmers to desist from burning paddy straw as it was affecting residents’ health. We are also urging them to adopt alternative methods.
A study conducted by the National Remote Sensing Agency indicated that paddy burning in the state contributed 261 giga gm (1 gg=1,000 tonne) of carbon monoxide, 19.8 gg of nitrogen oxide, and other gases to the atmosphere.
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, has estimated the crop residue (paddy and wheat) contained 6 million tonnes of carbon, which on burning could produce 22 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
