Baddi most polluted, Kangra's Damtal cleanest in Himachal, finds HPPCB

SHIMLA

: Based on the ambient air quality monitoring carried out by the

Himachal Pradesh

State Pollution Control Board (HPPCB), the Housing Board Baddi in Solan district was the most polluted area on Diwali while Damtal in

Kangra district

was the cleanest area in the state with respect to respirable particulate matter (RSPM) concentration.

Except at Parwanoo, Paonta Sahib, Kala Amb and Manali, the values of SO2 were below detectable limit whereas concentration of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) was also well within the prescribed limit.

HPPCB had monitored ambient air quality on Diwali to study the impact of bursting of crackers and other related activities from October 31 to November 7.

Ambient air monitoring with respect to RSPM, SO2 and NOx was carried out at Shimla, Parwanoo, Dharamshala, Damtal (Jassur), Paonta Sahib, Kala Amb, Una, Sunder Nagar, Baddi, Nalagarh, Manali for 24 hours a day.

The HPPCB officials said the concentration of RSPM, NOx, SO2 level in the ambient air observed on Diwali was comparatively more than the values observed on the normal days.

During Diwali, the concentration of SO2 and NOx were observed within the standard limit in all the monitoring stations whereas, the concentration of RSPM exceeded the prescribed standard limit of 100g/m3 for 24 hours at Parwanoo, Dharamshala, Paonta Sahib, Una, Sundernagar, Housing Board Baddi, Nalagarh and Manali, however, the RSPM concentration was observed within the prescribed standard at Shimla, Damtal, Kala Amb on Diwali day.

Officials said that concentration of RSPM at Parwanoo, Dharamshala, Damtal, Paonta Sahib, Una, Sundernagar, Housing Board Baddi, Nalagarh and Manali were observed more than the concentration of RSPM observed on Diwali last year whereas, concentration of RSPM at Shimla and Kala Amb stations were observed comparatively lower than the concentration of RSPM observed during Diwali last year.


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