Ludhiana | Jalandhar | Amritsar | Ropar | Patiala — Punjab’s air turned toxic on Diwali night as pollution levels skyrocketed due to a deadly mix of stubble burning and fireworks. Several cities recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 500 — the maximum limit on the pollution scale, plunging the state into a public health emergency.
Air quality began to deteriorate sharply after 8 PM as fireworks lit up the sky. By midnight, pollution levels in most districts had reached the “Severe” category, choking residents across Punjab.
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Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, and Ropar: AQI 500
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Patiala: AQI 486
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Mandi Gobindgarh: AQI 401
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Khanna: AQI 272
An AQI above 400 is classified as hazardous, capable of affecting even healthy individuals. Doctors have warned that such levels can be life-threatening for those suffering from asthma, heart disease, or lung conditions.
Officials from the Punjab Pollution Control Board confirmed that the spike was primarily caused by fireworks combined with ongoing stubble burning. They added that as winter sets in, pollutants get trapped closer to the ground, worsening air quality.
Experts warn: “Without rainfall or strong winds, pollution levels will remain extremely high in the coming days. Punjab is literally breathing poison.”
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