Even two days after Diwali, the air quality in Dehradun is far from normal. An independent agency which closely monitored the air pollution level has revealed that the concentration of Particulate Matter (PM)-2.5 and PM-10 is still 2 to 2.5 times the average values.
Gati Foundation Think Tank had started its campaign to monitor air pollution levels on November 5, two days before the Diwali and ended its task on November 9.
The co-founder of Gati Foundation Ashutosh Kandwal said that air pollution levels had been measured at 10 places spread over the city during the five days.
He said that the pollution had reached dangerous levels on Diwali night when 10 to 15 times the normal values had been recorded.
After Diwali, the pollution levels has decreased progressively but it still is 2 to 2.5 times the normal values, he added.
The chairperson of Gati Foundation Anoop Nautiyal said that slight decrease in air pollution levels is somewhat satisfactory.
However, he, at the same time, cautioned that the pollution may go up again during the winter.
He said that burning garbage in the winter compounds the problem and bursting of firecrackers on new year eve and marriages take things to alarming proportions.
He appealed to the people not to burn the garbage to make sure that the air quality does not worsen.
