'Golden Temple the most polluted during Diwali'

Amritsar, Oct 19: The Golden Temple in Amritsar, famed for its fabulous display of fireworks during the Diwali celebrations, also shares the dubious distinction of being the most polluted area in the entire Punjab during the festive season.

The festival of Diwali is celebrated in Amritsar with such fanfare and gusto that it not only has given birth to the popular oft-quoted local saying, ''Daal roti apne ghar ki, Diwali Amritsar ki' (Nothing can beat the food at home and the Diwali at Amritsar).

On the flip side, the pollution level, closely monitored in the sensitive area, had touched an alarming high with the harmful suspended particulate matter (SPM) at 966 microgram per litre during the festival season (October to November), last year, according to a report of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).

The high levels of pollution trigger respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer, it said.

Though the pollution level last year was slightly less than 981 microgram per litre recorded in 2004 around the Golden Temple area, it was still an alarmingly high density for an area.

However, if the entire city area is taken into account, Ludhiana leads as the most polluted during the Diwali season with Patiala coming a close second. Overall, the status of air pollution in four major cities of Punjab remained alarming. The board monitors the pollution levels regularly in various towns, including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala and Gobindgarh.

The SPM level was high in Ludhiana where during 2003, 2004, 2005 SPM recorded was 903, 927, 973 microgram per litre respectively whereas the permissible limit is 140 microgram per litre.

According to the report, the presence of SPM in the air in Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar remain high throughout the year, even in residential areas.

The maximum values (up to 550 microgram per litre) have been observed in various parts of Ludhiana on normal days.

This alarming rise could be attributed to the increase in the number of vehicles and burning of fossil fuels like petrol and coal from industry as well as kitchens.

Using incinerators instead of uncontrolled burning of garbage in colonies could be one simple way to reduce emissions from very high to moderate levels, the study said.

The situation worsens during the festival season (October to November) and the SPM level rises.

Jalandhar also showed high SPM, especially in commercial areas while Patiala recorded a low at 328,303, 356 micrograms per litre in last three years.

In fact, Gobindgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib district seemed jostling for top place in the ''most polluted list'' with an increasing presence of pollutants in last two years as it made strides as an industrial town.

UNI