Jalandhar, Oct. 22 -- The air quality in many parts of Punjab slipped to the poor category on Tuesday with Ludhiana recording the worst AQI of 282 the morning after Diwali celebrations due to the bursting of firecrackers on Monday night. Residents woke up to a thick blanket of smog and haze that wore off as the day progressed. An AQI (air quality index) between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", 401 and 450 "severe" and above 450 "severe plus". According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Ludhiana recorded the highest pollution level in the state at 8am. The industrial town of Mandi Gobindgarh followed with an air quality index of 275, which also falls in the poor category. The AQI in Jalandhar was 239, while it was 212 in Amritsar and 206 in Patiala. Khanna recorded a moderate AQI of 144, followed by 142 in Rupnagar and 140 in Bathinda. The average AQI of Punjab remained 234, which is lower than last year's average of 255. It was 207 in 2023, 224 in 2022 and 268 in 2021. However, the air quality remains a concern with many celebrating Diwali on Tuesday evening, leading to more bursting of crackers. Last week, the air quality in these areas was in the moderate category. Meanwhile, the Punjab Pollution Control Board has strictly directed people to abide by instructions related to the bursting of green firecrackers during the stipulated 8 pm-10 pm duration....