After Diwali, Air Quality Index Dips to ‘Very Poor’ Levels in Indian Capital
07:04 GMT 25.10.2022 (Updated: 07:05 GMT 25.10.2022)
© AP Photo / Altaf Qadri
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Despite a blanket ban on the use of firecrackers in Delhi, they were heard banging away on Monday evening late into night. According to government guidance issued days before Diwali, anyone found letting off a firecracker could be jailed for up to six months and fined 200 rupees ($2.41). At least 408 teams were set up to enforce the ban.
A day after Diwali was celebrated with much fanfare, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) on early Tuesday morning was rated “very poor”.
An AQI of 0 to 50 is considered “good”, 51 to 100 “satisfactory”, 101 to 200 “moderate”, 201 to 300 “poor", 301 to 400 “very poor”, and 401 to 500 “severe”. More than 40 air-quality monitoring stations recorded an AQI of between 301 and 400 in the Indian capital, resulting in an average of 326.
The “very poor” air quality comes with a warning that people may develop “respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.” According to health experts, long-term exposure to polluted air can also lead to eye, nose, throat, and lung irritation at the very least.
According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the concentration of particulate matter was dangerously elevated in the capital: the PM 2.5 reading was as much as 15 times the 24-hour standard and the PM 10 reading around 10 times higher than the safe limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Ladies and gentlemen, crackers are banned in Delhi :-) #HappyDiwali pic.twitter.com/cM1hKVNvYf
— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) October 24, 2022
Seems all of Delhi is going to be behind bars for the next 6 months.
— Sabyasachi Roy (সব্যসাচী রায়)🇮🇳 (@e_statics_) October 24, 2022
Btw, Happy Diwali to all Delhiites🪔🎇🎆🧨🪅#firecrackers #CrackerBan pic.twitter.com/tUaytvvp7n
Cities neighboring Delhi such as Ghaziabad, Noida, and Gurugram - where the use of firecrackers was also banned - also recorded AQI readings of between 285 and 320.
Delhi's AQI at 312 on Monday was still the lowest in four years, but the second-best in seven years, NDTV reported citing the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Diwali is one of the oldest annual festivals celebrated by millions of Hindus.
After worshiping Lakshmi - the goddess of prosperity - and Ganesha - the god of luck - people light oil lamps or candles and set off crackers to symbolize the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.
