AP cities saw dip in AQI after Deepavali; Visakhapatnam worst hit

Fireworks light up the night sky amid thick clouds of smoke along Beach Road in Visakhapatnam on Sunday as people celebrate Deepavali. | Photo credit: KR DEEPAK

People in Andhra Pradesh emphatically celebrated Deepavali by lighting up the night sky with firecrackers, worsening air quality and making breathing difficult on Monday.

While all major cities in the state recorded “moderate” air quality ranging between 101 and 200, the air in Visakhapatnam and Rajamahendravaram fell into the “poor” category on Monday, according to the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB). On Deepavali last year, on October 20, Visakhapatnam recorded an AQI of 44.

Meanwhile, a hospital in Visakhapatnam admitted two patients on Deepavali night. The doctor said one of them came down with respiratory failure due to exposure to thick smoke.

A haze of smoke hangs over the BRTS road at Maddilapalem in Visakhapatnam on Sunday evening. | Photo credit: V. RAJU

P. Krishnaiah, chairman, APPCB, said 72 manual and 20 continuous monitoring stations across the state routinely recorded air and noise levels within permissible limits, but burning crackers during Deepavali increased pollution. The council said particulate matter exceeded national air quality standards on the day of the festival.

Real-time noise monitoring recorded peak levels of 111 dB(A) in Visakhapatnam and 112 dB(A) in Vijayawada on Deepavali night, against the nighttime standard of 45 dB(A) for residential areas.

M Sree Ranjani, Chief Environmental Scientist, said the festival fell on November 8 this year, 19 days later than in 2025, and moved to the winter season. A temperature inversion leads to poor dispersion, she says, because cold air traps pollutants near the surface.

The APPCB’s health statements say that “moderate” air causes breathing problems for people with lung, heart and asthma conditions, while “bad” air causes discomfort to most people with long-term exposure.

Dr. Sudheer Tale, a pulmonologist at Medicover Hospitals in Visakhapatnam, which admitted the two patients, said asthma exacerbations, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis and sinusitis increase when the AQI crosses 200, and smokers are at greater risk.

Dr. Tale said PM2.5 particles pass from the lungs into the bloodstream and, with prolonged exposure, increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, memory loss and anxiety. Long-term exposure at this level, he added, can lead to lung cancer.

He advised the public to wear face masks outside and those with lung conditions to use air purifiers at home.

Published – 9 Nov 2026 21:52 IST