Patna, October 21 (IANS). After Diwali, pollution is being seen in Bihar since Tuesday morning. In many nearby districts including Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, a blanket of smoke has covered the city since morning. Due to this, people are facing difficulty in breathing. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Patna has reached above 300.
The massive fireworks display on Diwali night has added layers of poisonous particles to the air. Due to slowing down of wind speed and fluctuations in temperature, these layers have now become stagnant. Because of this it has become difficult for people to breathe. When people are leaving their homes, masks are coming out continuously.
The Meteorological Center says that this situation may persist for the next few days, however, there is a possibility of light rain around October 25 from the low pressure area forming in the Bay of Bengal, which can wash away this poisonous haze.
According to the Meteorological Department, the wind speed has reduced to just 2-3 km/hour, due to which the pollution particles are trapped close to the ground. Even in cities like Gaya and Muzaffarpur, AQI is around 250, while in Hajipur it was recorded up to 304, which falls in the ‘severe’ category. Because of this, respiratory diseases can spread rapidly.
On the morning of October 20, the minimum temperature in Valmikinagar was 20.4 degrees Celsius, while in Patna it was 24.7 degrees Celsius and the maximum was 33.8 degrees Celsius. With these temperatures the wind speed was only 2 to 3 kilometers per hour. Due to this also, dust particles and smoke remained trapped in the air in nearby cities including Patna.
The Meteorological Department said that people need to stay safe. If people go out of the house, keep a mask on their mouth continuously. Experts say that pollution at this level can be extremely risky for children, elderly and asthma patients.
–IANS
SAK/DSC
