Delhi’s air quality slips to ‘very poor’ post-Diwali

The air quality index (AQI) value at 10 am was recorded as 346 in the “very poor” category, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data with the data showing that pollution from bursting of firecrackers had started accumulating overnight.

Air quality slipped to “very poor” in the national capital on Monday, a day after Diwali when for the first time less-polluting green crackers were burst.

The air quality index (AQI) value at 10 am was recorded as 346 in the “very poor” category, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. The data shows that pollution from bursting of firecrackers started accumulating overnight.

This year only two varieties of green crackers were available —phuljhari (sparklers) and anar (flower pots) that too limited stock had reached the markets, as samples took time for testing.

However, all the loud noise of crackers heard on Diwali day was possibly of illegally available traditional crackers or those stocked from past years, as green crackers have a limited sound approved by the government.

Green crackers developed by government agencies CSIR-NEERI are 30% less polluting than conventional firecrackers.

The air quality had plunged to “very poor” on Sunday (Diwali day) itself. According to CPCB data, the 24-hour average AQI till 4 pm was 337. This was a deterioration against Saturday’s AQI recorded as 287 in the “poor” category.

Till Saturday, air quality had mostly ranged in the “poor” category over the past week except for Thursday when it fell to “very poor”.

This year, Delhi had breathed its cleanest in the run-up to Diwali since 2016.

The air quality has plunged despite a high alert sounded by government on Diwali pollution and pre-emptive measures such as ban on construction activities (between 6 pm and 6 am) and closure of polluting industries (those not switched to piped natural gas) coming into effect in Delhi-NCR from October 26. The ban will continue till October 30 till further orders.

Pollution monitoring agencies had warned that the city’s air quality may plunge to “severe” zone even if Delhi burns half the crackers it did last year.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), a unit of the Union ministry of earth sciences, had forecast that pollution could hit its peak between 1 am and 6 am (October 27-28).