Not so green Diwali: City records higher noise,air pollution levels

Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee monitored the air quality and noise levels at three different locations in the city. Apart from Diwali,data was collected,a week before Diwali from Sectors 22,17 and 29. Maximum noise pollution was found in Sector 22 between 9 pm and 10 pm and minimum noise pollution was found in Sector 17 between 9 pm and 10 pm.

The maximum air pollution was found in Sector 22 and minimum air pollution was found in Sector 17. While the standard value of sound between 6 am to 10 pm is 55 dB(A),at night time between 10 pm to 6 am it is 45 dB(A). On Diwali,the noise level between 8pm to 10pm at Sector 22,29 and 17 was 76.6 dB(A),77.5 dB(A) and 69.3 dB(A) respectively.

For air pollution,the Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) was more than the previous years on the day of Diwali. The RSPM level at two locations were found increased. In Sector 22,RSPM level was 450 micrograms per cubic metre instead of 280 last year on the day of Diwali. The RSPM level recorded a week before Diwali in Sector 22 was 109 micrograms per cubic metre. In Sector 29,RSPM was 409 micrograms per cubic metre against 349 last year and in Sector 17,it was 165 micrograms per cubic metre,much lower than the RSPM level last year,which was 207 micrograms per cubic metre.