Ludhiana: The city has been under a dense layer of smog, with no clear sunlight recorded since November 5. The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) research data shows that not a single ray has cut through the smog in Ludhiana in the last one week. Speaking on the situation, Dr Sompal Singh from PAU’s Department of Agricultural Meteorology said that Ludhiana’s grey sky is a result of smog, which is a mix of fog, smoke, and dust particles.
“Humidity is high, and as pollution increases, it all gets caught in this thick smog,” he said, quoted a Hindustan Times report. This smog not only hides the sun but has kept the pollution trapped, creating a lasting haze over the city, he further added.
What's Causing Ludhiana's Air Pollution?
The underlying issue is a combination of calm air, dropping temperatures, and ongoing farm fires. “When it cools down like this, the ground air doesn’t get warm enough to rise, and the pollution just hangs around," Dr Pavneet Kingra from PAU explained, as per the HT report.
He added that if the winds could pick up speed to about 6 km/h, they could start to push the pollution out, but the past two weeks have seen speeds well below that, leaving the air stagnant.
One major factor contributing to the pollution, experts added, is the seasonal burning of paddy stubble by farmers in preparation for wheat sowing, which is allowed from mid-October to mid-November, as per the report. Dr Singh stated that the pollution might continue until the burning eventually stops. "Most of the paddy has been harvested, and farmers are clearing the land for wheat.", she explained.
For the time being, Ludhiana’s skies remain grey as the city endures poor air quality.