Sharp spike in Bhopal air pollution on Diwali

Minimum temperature rose sharply and air pollution levels touched alarming levels on Diwali leaving many at the risk of respiratory problems in the state capital.

Updated on: Oct 25, 2014, 14:55:59 IST

Hindustan Times | By Shruti Tomar, Bhopal

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Minimum temperature rose sharply and air pollution levels touched alarming levels on Diwali leaving many at the risk of respiratory problems in the state capital.

The respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) — which directly affects breathing — went up 2.6 times above the national ambiance air quality standard, officials of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) said on Friday.

According to MPPCB, maximum RSPM was recorded at the commercial Hamidia Road, 457.7 micro gram per cubic metre, which is 3.5 times higher than normal 100 micro gram per cubic metre and 24.1 percent higher than last year's data.

Deviation in RSPM was 2.6 times by normal standard near Paryawaran Parisar, a residential area. It was also 25.6% higher than last year's data.

However, Govindpura area recorded a decline in RSPM. Though it was 1.7 times higher than normal standard, it was 38.7% less than last year’s Diwali data.

"Increase in RSPM can create respiratory problems for many as quality of air gets poorer. It can also aggravate respiratory ailments among existing patients," MPPCB chemist Neeraj Verma said.

According to the Metrological department, the minimum temperature increased by 1.3 degree — from 18.3 degree Celsius on Wednesday to 19.6 degree Celsius on Thursday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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