Though there is considerable fall in sale of imported goods for Diwali, but the intensity of the fireworks has not reduced. This was evident when Jammu woke up in the morning, sky had a thin layer of formation of smog, the combination of smoke and fog, which can be attributed to last night’s incessant fireworks during the festivities. Recently only World Health Organization (WHO) rated Jammu among the 20 cities having the worst air quality. The air quality has worsened since 2011 blame it on automotive pollution or burning of garbage or any other reason. The worsening air quality taxes on people’s health leading to increase in cases of heart ailments and cancer extra. There is no doubt that city and peripheral areas have a high rate of suspended dust particles which has added to the woes of patients suffering from breathing related ailments like asthma and skin allergy especially in summers. All this speaks about the quality of air Jammu people breath-in. The J&K State Pollution Control Board should carry-out a study of the air quality before any festival like Diwali and after it to study the worsening conditions along with most vulnerable areas like where the concentration of air pollutants is on the higher side in comparison to other parts so that data collected can be used for improving the atmospheric conditions. A number of reasons contribute to the growing air pollution like movement of around five to six lakh vehicles within the radius of 4-5 square kilometers in Jammu city, the ongoing mega constructions in different parts of the city also add on to the air pollution. The pollution due to construction activity for fly over project in Bikram Chowk area and creation of artificial lake in areas adjoining river Tawi has given a permanent dusty air screen in these areas. The state Government has mooted to have capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar to get advanced monitoring systems on the pattern of metro cities to keep a tab on air pollution which will monitor air quality level within a radius of 2 kms of its installing point which will help in checking the growing menace.
