TS Pollution Control Board confirmed on Monday reported that the air quality in the city after Diwali was lot better and cleaner when compared to last year.
The pollution control board had determined the air and noise pollution levels before, on Diwali day and post festival. The board officials stated that the concentration of Particulate Matter 2.5 and 10 (PM2.5 and PM10) had surged markedly when compared to a seven-day average before the festival.
“The wind speed was higher than during Diwali last year, which aided in the dispersion of pollutants. The major pollutants were particulate matter of less than 2.5 and 10 microns in thickness,” the board official said.
The 64 microns/cubic metre of PM2.5 on the day of the festival, it was 72 microns/m3 last year. Similarly, PM10, was recorded at 128 microns/ m3 this year against 163.4 microns/m3 last year.
With respect to chemical gases, the board had recorded, 8.4 microns/ m3 on Diwali this year as opposed to 6 microns/m3 last year. The board told oxides of nitrogen were measured at 65 microns/ m3 last year which had fallen to 41.3 microns/ m3 this year.
Apart from cleaner air, the noise levels were within permissible limits, where highest to be 70 dB at commercial zones and lowest to be at 42 dB in sensitive zones.