SNE NETWORK.CHANDIGARH.
Due to the increasing havoc of smog in Punjab, the pollution level in the state reached the red zone (very poor category) on Wednesday. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), due to the increased pollution at dangerous levels, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Mandi Gobindgarh was recorded at 322 and Amritsar at 310. At the same time, the AQI of Patiala was 247, Jalandhar 220 and Ludhiana 216, which was recorded in the poor category. Apart from this, Bathinda’s AQI was 150 and Rupnagar’s 189. Visibility was zero due to smog in Amritsar. Due to this, the Delhi-Amritsar flight was canceled. At the same time, many flights were delayed.
At the same time, stubble burning continues in Punjab. On Wednesday, 509 new cases of stubble burning were reported. With this, the total number has reached 7621 so far. On Wednesday, the highest number of stubble burning cases, 91 each, were reported from Firozpur and Faridkot districts. 88 cases were reported from Moga, 79 from Muktsar, 50 from Bathinda, 40 from Tarn Taran, 24 from Mansa, 16 from Barnala, 14 from Fazilka, 7 from Sangrur, 5 from Amritsar, 3 from Kapurthala and 1 from Fatehgarh Sahib. On the same day, a total of 2175 cases of stubble burning were reported in 2022 and 1624 in 2023. From September 15 till now, the total number of stubble burning cases in 2022 was 45,319 and in 2023 it was 26,341.
Flight schedule disrupted
The smog has also started affecting flights arriving and departing from Amritsar airport. On Wednesday, IndiGo flight number 5103 coming from Delhi to Amritsar was cancelled. Along with this, Air India Express coming from Sharjah arrived six hours late. This flight arrives at 7 am, but arrived at 1 pm. Spice Jet flight number SG 65 arrives at 7.40 am, which arrived at 11.15 am. Air India flight 453 coming from Delhi to Amritsar reached at 9.15 am instead of 6.15 am. Qatar Airways flight number 548 arrives at 2:40 am. It arrived at 9.30 am. Flight number 721 coming from Pune to Amritsar was not departed from Pune. Air India flight number 461 Delhi Amritsar was to depart from Delhi at 3:30 pm, it has not been operated from Delhi yet.
There may be relief due to wind after the next two-three days
On Wednesday, at 5.30 am, the visibility of Amritsar was recorded to be zero and Patiala’s visibility was only 30 meters. There was no significant improvement in the visibility till 8:30 am, at this time it was only 50 meters in Amritsar, 500 meters in Ludhiana and 600 meters in Patiala. According to Surinder Pal, Director of the Meteorological Department’s Chandigarh Center, people of Punjab will not get relief from fog and smog at the moment. There is a possibility of wind blowing after the next two to three days, only after this there can be some relief from fog. An alert has been issued for dense fog at some places in Punjab for Thursday and Friday.
Punjab’s mercury fell 2.9 degrees below normal
Punjab’s maximum temperature recorded a big drop of 2.2 degrees on Wednesday. With this, it has now reached 2.9 degrees below normal. Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala’s mercury was recorded below normal. Especially the maximum temperature of Patiala was 21.7 degrees, which was recorded 6.3 degrees below normal. Amritsar recorded 24.0 degrees (3.2 degrees below normal), Ludhiana 22.8 (4.8 degrees below normal), Bathinda recorded the highest of 28.4 degrees, Gurdaspur 22.5, Fatehgarh Sahib 23.0, Ferozepur 24.0 degrees. But the minimum temperature of Punjab still remains 6.7 degrees above normal. The lowest mercury of 14 degrees was recorded in Pathankot and Gurdaspur. Along with this, the minimum temperature of Amritsar was 16.6, Ludhiana 17.0, Patiala 18.6, Bathinda 19.4 degrees.