Gurgaon shunning crackers: air pollution down by 15 pc this Diwali

Setting an example in shunning the practice of bursting crackers on Diwali, Gurgaon has recorded a marked decrease of about 15 per cent in the air pollution level in comparison with last year.

Setting an example in shunning the practice of bursting crackers on Diwali, Gurgaon has recorded a marked decrease of about 15 per cent in the air pollution level in comparison with last year.

While officials claim increasing awareness about environment is the reason, local residents say it is because of escalating prices and the general slow-down of economy that have contributed towards people not spending money on crackers. Whatever the reason be, the decrease has shown that the practice of bursting firecrackers has seen a marked shift.

Sources said that the pollution-level was checked at various places in the city on the occasion of Diwali. The suspended particulate matter (SPM) was 832 microgram per metrecube as compared to last year’s 978. The level of RSPM was also down to 520 mg/mc this year from 621 last year. Similarly, the level of sulphur dioxide (SO2) on Diwali day was 36 and nitrogen oxide (NOX) was 67 microgram per metercube. Last year, on the occasion of Diwali on November 9, SO2 level was 49 and NO2 level was 77.

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Deputy Commissioner Deepti Umashankar said it is an encouraging sign and claimed that the sound pollution level was also decrease.

As per the figures available, noise pollution level was also checked at Mehrouli-Gurgaon road, Bus Stand, Sector 4 and 14. It was found to be lesser by 5 to 7 per cent as compared to last year.

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