In a disheartening turn of events, the air quality in Delhi-NCR has once again plummeted into the poor category, defying the Supreme Court’s stringent ban on bursting firecrackers. The people of the region, who had briefly experienced relief from weeks of severe air pollution, found themselves grappling with hazardous air on the night of Diwali. Despite warnings and legal restrictions, firecrackers were ignited across major areas of Delhi, casting a dark shadow on the capital and its surroundings.
While air pollution levels had shown signs of improvement after recent rains in Delhi-NCR, the festive fervor took a toll on air quality post-Diwali. Notable areas like Shahpur Jat, Hauz Khas, Defense Colony, Chhatarpur, East of Kailash, Mandir Marg, and Paharganj witnessed a resurgence of fireworks after 6 pm, prompting many residents to stay indoors.
Environmentalists, dismayed by the apparent disregard for the Supreme Court’s ban, expressed their concerns. Bhavreen Kandhari, speaking to the news agency PTI, remarked, “The Supreme Court’s strict stance on firecrackers went up in smoke. Despite warnings and a blanket ban, the responsible authorities failed once again. I wonder what stance the Supreme Court will take on this. We are allowing our children to live a life of suffocation in the name of celebration.”
According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the concentration of PM2.5 levels in Anand Vihar was within 56 ppm until 5 pm on Sunday but soared to around 2000 ppm at midnight. The Supreme Court’s order to ban barium-containing firecrackers across the country, declared on November 7, seemingly had limited impact in curbing the festivities.
Beyond Delhi, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in several major cities across the country witnessed a deterioration. On Monday (November 13), the AQI reached alarming levels: 340 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha; 317 in Cuttack; 306 in Angul; 334 in Balasore; 352 in Talcher; 381 in Begusarai, Bihar; 336 in Bhagalpur; 311 in Gaya; and 311 in Patna. Other cities, including Purnia, Rajgir, Katihar, Dholpur, Kota, and Dhule, also reported concerning AQI levels.
It is crucial to note that an AQI between 0 to 50 is considered ‘good,’ 51 to 100 is ‘satisfactory,’ 101 to 200 is ‘moderate,’ 201 to 300 is ‘poor,’ 301 to 400 is ‘very poor,’ and beyond 401 is deemed ‘severe.’ When AQI surpasses 450, the situation becomes exceptionally critical.
