Delhi air quality dips to ‘very poor’ post-Diwali, Mumbai breathes easy
Extremely poor pollution levels were previously predicted in Delhi due to firecracker emissions, unfavourable weather and a significant spike in stubble burning in neighbouring states.
Delhi and Noida were left reeling under ‘very poor’ pollution levels after Diwali celebrations which saw people bursting crackers to mark the occasion. Post-Diwali air in Delhi plunged to very poor category on Monday, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
The overall air quality index stood at 306 and 356 in Delhi and Noida respectively, reported news agency ANI quoting government agencies.
Meanwhile, Mumbai recorded its cleanest Diwali air in five years, since real-time air quality monitoring began in Mumbai. However, researchers have predicted a marginal spike in pollution levels on Monday.
SAFAR project director Gufran Beig said on Sunday cyclone Kyarr managed to keep air pollution levels to its lowest for the west coast, and of the four cities where the government air quality monitor records air quality, Pune followed by Mumbai were the cleanest.
On Sunday, ear-deafening booms, toxic smoke from firecrackers filled the Delhi air as the overall air quality index crossed the “severe” mark at many places. People reported violation of the two-hour window in Malviya Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Kailash Hills, Burari, Jangpura, Shahdara, Laxmi Nagar, Mayur Vihar, Sarita Vihar, Hari Ngar, New Friends Colony, Dwarka among others places, reported news agency PTI.
The AQI for Haryana stood at 279 (poor) at NISE Gwal Pahari area in Gurugram.
The Supreme Court had last year banned polluting firecrackers and ordered that only green firecrackers can be manufactured and sold.
Government air quality monitor SAFAR on Sunday predicted the post Diwali pollution level to be the lowest in last three years.
Authorities ordered on Friday a ban on overnight construction work in the National Capital Region (NCR) and called for closer scrutiny to check farm fires in neighbouring states, sounding a “high alert” on air pollution that is predicted to get worse over the coming days. The move came close on the heels of reports of farm fires raging at the same frequency as last year, according to an analysis of data from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) satellites, and weather conditions are expected to exacerbate local pollution.
To curb air pollution, the Arvind Kejriwal-led government in Delhi has announced the implementation of the Odd-Even scheme from November 4 to 15.
(With Inputs from Agencies)
