As the mercury soars the city is witnessing long power cuts. Use of diesel-run generators is picking up once again, leading to alarming rise in air pollution. While the pollution levels have already reached alarming proportions, the industry, the public transport system and the generators, residents and the district administration seem to be in deep slumber.

Even as the suspended particulate matter, (SPM), is already very high due to the harvesting operations of wheat crop, the thick smoke of generators worsens the matter. It becomes impossible to breathe.

According to rough estimates, almost all households in the city have a diesel-run generator, which emanate thick smoke contributing to rise in pollution levels. The condition worsens as soon as the summers come.

As there is a rise in temperature and power cuts, residents switch on their generators sets run on diesel. The pollution caused by diesel generators has compounded the degrading environment condition in the city.

While the gen-sets emanate thick smoke it becomes near impossible to breathe. Callous Ludhiana residents have devised novel means to instal their generators away from their living space.

Domestic areas, industrial areas and the markets are the best places to witness the menace of pollution caused by these generators. Residents have installed them on their roofs with the long exhaust pipes discharging poisonous gases up in the air.

According to the official figures on pollution, the suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the city is between 500 to 600 microgram while the permissible limit is only 200 microgram. These are the startling revelations of the Punjab Pollution Control Board.

The data of the presence of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are also not less alarming. Both the pollutants are equivalent to 80 microgram, while other cities in the state do not have more than 10 to 12 micrograms of these pollutants.