Chandigarh Air Quality, Chandigarh AQI, Chandigarh AQI 500, Chandigarh AQI 500 Schools Closed: Amid worsening Air Quality of Punjab and surrounding states over the past few days, Chandigarh's AQI on Thursday touched the 500 mark. Chandigarh's AQI Today i.e. 500 means that the air is severe to breathe. As per CPCB, if the AQI touches 500 mark it means, 'affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases'.
As per Apple weather app, Chandigarh's AQI touched 500. However, on checking government's CPCB official website, Chandigarh's AQI was 424 under severe category as per sector 22 monitoring station. As per sector 25 monitoring station, Chandigarh's AQI was 367, and as per sector 53 monitoring station, Chandigarh's AQI on November 14, 2024 was 425 till 5 pm.
Chandigarh's schools to be closed?
As per Indian Express, officials of the Chandigarh administration said the decision to close schools will be taken if the condition persists. A senior official was quoted saying, “A call shall be taken on this soon. Suggestions have been received for the closure of the schools. A meeting is being held for the same.”
In Delhi schools are closed once Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is enforced. It happens in the Capital when the air quality is forecast to remain in the 'severe' category (with an AQI between 401 and 450). Delhi Government generally closes schools of children up to Class 5 if the worsening AQI persists between 401 to 450
Dr. Harpreet Singh, Senior Consultant and HOD of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Mohandai Oswal Hospital (GT Road Byepass, Ludhiana) while talking to True Scoop News revealed, "There are many patients who come to the hospital who have never smoked but still get such type of cancers. That is all because of Air Pollution. The more Air Pollution is reduced, the more cases of cancer will be reduced. Pollution today is such that it is like smoking 15 to 16 cigarettes. Pollution is expected to rise in the coming winters. Breathing air with an AQI of more than 300 is like smoking 12 to 15 cigarettes a day."