Delhi pollution: AQI in 'very bad' category but better than last Diwali; list of worst-affected areas

As people in several areas of the national capital set off firecrackers on Diwali in defiance of the prohibition, Delhi's air quality deteriorated to 'very poor' this morning.

The Diwali night was filled with loud bangs from firecrackers that exceeded the allowed decibel levels and rendered the air unbreathable. By dusk, people had begun to set off firecrackers, and as the evening wore on, the volume of the explosions rose.

A day after Diwali, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) reports that Delhi's air quality index (AQI) was 323 at 6 am today. The air quality also fell into the 'very poor' category in the nearby cities of Gurugram, Noida, and Faridabad.

The city's air quality index (AQI), which was 312 on Monday, was still the lowest in four years and the second-best in seven, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Prior to that, the city's AQI on Diwali in 2018 was 281 points. Last year, the national capital's AQI was 382, and it was 414 in 2020 and 337 in 2019.

An AQI of 0 to 50 is regarded as 'good', 51 to 100 as "'satisfactory', 101 to 200 as 'moderate', 201 to 300 as 'poor', 301 to 400 as 'very poor', and 401 to 500 as 'severe'.

The production, storage, selling, and setting off of firecrackers for this Diwali had been prohibited by the Delhi government due to the potential health risks and environmental harms. The government had stated that anyone caught breaking the restriction would be punished and sentenced to six months in jail.

Due to pollution, the Supreme Court declined last week to lift the prohibition on firecrackers in Delhi.

Due to concerns over increasing air pollution levels, the AAP government also prohibited the sale and usage of firecrackers during the previous Diwali celebration.

In addition to firecrackers, the Diwali season in Delhi is also characterised by the controversial practise of stubble burning in neighbouring states like Punjab and Haryana.

Over the years, emissions from farm fires and firecrackers have had a substantial impact on Delhi's PM2.5 pollution during the Diwali season. Experts claim that compared to prior years, their share was relatively lower this year.

This Diwali, the air quality remained mainly constant due to a moderate wind speed that prevented pollutants from accumulating quickly.

CM Kejriwal tweets that Delhi's air on Diwali eve was the least polluted in 7 Years:

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's air quality index (AQI) on Sunday evening was 265—the lowest reading for the day before Diwali in seven years.

The AQI on November 3 of last year (the day before Diwali) was 314. On the day of Diwali, it had soared to 382 and to 462 the following day. On November 13, the day before Diwali, Delhi's AQI was 296; on that day, it rose to 414; and the next day, it fell to 435.

Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the AAP and the Delhi chief minister, shared a report on Twitter that claimed Delhi was not among Asia's top ten most polluting cities. “Some years back, Del was the most polluted city in the world. Not any more!" He mentioned.

“People of Del worked v hard. Today, we (have) improved a lot. Whereas we (have) improved, its still a long way. We will continue working hard so that we find a place in the best cities of the world," he wrote.

List of most affected areas in Delhi:

Alipur - 308 AQI

Shadipur - 300 AQI

Narela - 290 AQI

Bawana - 310 AQI

Wazirpur - 313 AQI

ITO - 332 AQI

Anand Vihar - 363 AQI

Pusa - 323 AQI

DTU- 304 AQI

Mundka - 306 AQI

Punjabi Bagh - 327 AQ

Also read: https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-air-pollution-5-ways-to-protect-your-lungs-from-pollution-2995601