Have come to attend event at Guru Granth Sahib Darbar, Bulandpuri; maximum AQI crosses 300
10 November, 2025 – Jallandhar : The exceeding air pollution in the district hasn’t gone down well with certain foreign nationals, who specially came here to attend a religious event at a village in Jalandhar. A complaint has been forwarded to the district administration by foreign visitors regarding air pollution in Jalandhar, which has caused them discomfort, difficulty in breathing and burning sensation in their eyes.
The visitors are here to attend an event at Guru Granth Sahib Darbar, Bulandpuri, where an event is being held from November 9 to 19 to mark the Parkash Ustav of Guru Nanak Dev. Apart from the visiting foreign nationals sending email to the DC and the CMO, the Udhowal village gurdwara committee also complained to the SDM, Nakodar, on the issue.
The maximum AQI levels in Jalandhar have remained over 300 after Diwali and also for the past four days. For four days, the Jalandhar AQI remained between an average of 182 to 200 and the maximum of between 301 and 309.
Villagers said the visitors from 40 countries, including Italy, Australia and America, had come to the village for the event. While the district administration said there had been no specific stubble fires in the village and its vicinity in the past two days, sprinkling of water on roads and vicinity of the village will be carried out to help dust to settle.
Baljinder Singh, a member of the gurdwara committee (which is hosting the event) at Udhowal village, said, “In our area, there is too much pollution. We can clearly see smoke. Some farmers are burning stubble. The smoke is affecting our eyes and throats. I’m not even an outsider and have got sick. We have visitors from 40 countries and about 2,000 devotees have arrived. People have a habit of saying “chhaddo pare” (let it go). But foreign nationals are keenly aware of their rights and they were shocked at the pollution levels. The visiting sangat members searched numbers and websites online and raised complaints.”
He added, “When the Supreme Court and NGT have prohibited stubble burning, it must be stopped. We also approached the administration directly, making complaints to the SHO and officers. But they didn’t do much. On my 70 to 80 fields (acres), too, I don’t set stubble on fire. It kills insects and damages land. But some people don’t listen. The administration must find a remedy for the unprecedented pollution levels.”
SDM-Nakodar Lal Vishwas said, “I have visited the village after the complaint was made. The pollution here is as much as in other areas. We did not witness a single farm fire at the village. In Nakodar, two stubble fires have been reported in the past two days – both are from far-off villages. As a measure, water sprinkling will be carried out on the village roads and thoroughfares to prevent inconvenience.”
Guru Granth Sahib Darbar, Bulandpuri, encompasses three villages in Mehatpur – Udhowal, Bulanda and Pasari – which are hosting the event.
The Tribune