Another year, same story. With double festivities being celebrated this year on October 21 — Diwali and Bandi Chhor Diwas — the air quality index (AQI) in Amritsar once again deteriorated, averaging between 224 to 250 as recorded by the air monitoring device installed near the Golden Temple. This falls under the “poor” category, attributed largely to fireworks, stubble burning, and vehicular emissions, consistent with trends from previous years.

The Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) levels were also marked as poor, indicating a significant decline in breathable air quality. Despite year-round efforts by environmental activists and the district administration to control stubble burning and regulate cracker bursting through limited window periods, the AQI remained in the poor range. The real-t

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