Shimla/Baddi, Jan. 25 -- After a prolonged dry spell marked by dust, forest fires, mining activity, and heavy vehicular movement, Himachal Pradesh has recorded a significant improvement in air quality following recent rainfall and snowfall.
The wet weather has helped wash out suspended dust and pollutants, bringing the Air Quality Index (AQI) in most towns down to normal and moderate levels.
The biggest relief has been witnessed in the Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) industrial belt, long considered the most polluted region in the state. AQI has improved sharply to 104, while recording an AQI of 83 and standing at 82, all falling in the moderate category.
Until recently, AQI levels in Baddi had remained above 200 and at times even crossed 300,...