People in Delhi indiscriminately lit firecrackers on Diwali, the sky was covered with smoke

Despite the ban imposed by the government on the burning of crackers in Delhi, people burst firecrackers on Diwali. Due to this the sky of Delhi was covered with a plume of smoke. Delhi’s air quality index (AQI), which stood at 382 at 4 pm, rose to ‘severe’ category by 8 pm amid rising pollution in Delhi as there was no dispersion of pollutants due to low temperature and slow wind speed. . Due to the rampant bursting of crackers, the AQI was recorded at 424 in the neighboring cities of Delhi, Faridabad, 442 in Ghaziabad, 423 in Gurugram and 431 in Noida after 9 pm, which falls in the ‘severe’ category. People from Delhi and its adjoining areas complained of sore throat and watery eyes.

Despite a complete ban on firecrackers in the national capital till January 1, 2022, cases of bursting of crackers were reported from 7 pm in Lajpat Nagar in South Delhi, Burari in North Delhi, Paschim Vihar in West Delhi and Shahdara in East Delhi. At the same time, high-intensity firecrackers were burnt in Gurugram and Faridabad. The Haryana government had also banned the sale and use of firecrackers in 14 districts, including areas adjoining Delhi.

Experts predicted that Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) could move closer to the ‘severe’ category by midnight due to adverse weather conditions, stubble burning, crackers and other local factors. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that due to fog in the national capital, there was low visibility in the range of 600-800 meters at Indira Gandhi International Airport and Safdarjung Airport in the morning.

IMD senior scientist RK Jenamani said visibility was affected in the range of 800-900 meters throughout the day due to calm wind conditions. The contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s pollution level rose to 25 per cent on Thursday, the highest level so far this season.

Gufran Baig, founder project director of SAFAR, an air quality forecasting agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said Delhi’s PM 2.5 pollution level could reach the ‘severe’ category by midnight with 50 percent firecrackers burning compared to last year. He said that by Friday morning a sharp rise in the level of PM 2.5 pollution may be recorded and the AQI may cross the level of 500.

At the same time, according to the data of the Central Pollution Control Board, the average AQI of the last 24 hours of the capital reached 382 on Thursday, which was 314 on Wednesday. The 24-hour average AQI was 303 on Tuesday and 281 on Monday. AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, between 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, between 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, between 201 and 300 ‘poor’, between 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 And between 500 is considered ‘serious’.

According to the forecast of ‘SAFAR’, the contribution of stubble burning in Delhi’s pollution level may increase to 35 percent on Friday and 40 percent on Saturday. The north-westerly winds can bring the smoke arising due to stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana towards Delhi. According to SAFAR, some relief is expected only by the evening of November 7. However, the AQI is expected to remain in the ‘very poor’ category.