Shimla, Oct. 24 -- Himachal Pradesh witnessed a noticeable decline in air quality during the Diwali festival this year, with industrial belts such as Baddi and Parwanoo recording alarming levels of pollution, according to the latest report by the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB).
The Board conducted ambient air quality monitoring between October 13 and 20, 2025, across 12 towns, including Shimla, Parwanoo, Dharamshala, Damtal, Paonta Sahib, Kala Amb, Una, Baddi, Barotiwala, Nalagarh, Sunder Nagar, and Manali.
The study revealed that while the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the state varied from "Good to Moderate" during the pre-Diwali period, it deteriorated to "Satisfactory to Moderate" on Diwali day due to fir...