What was the air quality in Delhi on Deepavali night? Even reading yesterday’s Diwali AQI will make your lungs sick; check data | Today’s news
A thick gray haze engulfed Delhi on Monday morning, reducing visibility and causing respiratory problems for residents as the city’s air quality index (AQI) fell to 370 in the “very poor” category.
The serious aggravation took place after a night of large-scale bursting of firecrackers during Diwali celebrations, well beyond the limited time allowed by the apex court.
According to Swiss monitoring platform IQAir, Delhi was ranked as the third most polluted city in the world on Monday morning.
“Northern” air quality at monitoring stations
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has classified the city-wide average AQI as “very poor”, with numerous monitoring stations already recording “severe” levels above 400.
The worst affected areas included Sonia Vihar, which recorded an AQI of 463 on Diwali night, next to Jahangirpuri at 450. Both DTU and Burari Crossing recorded an AQI of 437 by Monday morning.
Air quality is expected to deteriorate further, reaching the “severe” category during the day.
PM2.5 concentrations exceed WHO limits
According to a Reuters report, the concentration of dangerous pollutants increased drastically overnight.
IQAir data revealed that PM2.5 concentrations reached 170 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³), roughly 34 times the World Health Organization’s annual guideline value. Other significant pollutant values included PM10 at 126 µg/m³ and carbon monoxide at 1,461.5 µg/m³.
Independent monitoring platform AQI.in reported a staggering AQI peak of 2,283 immediately after Diwali before settling at a “dangerous” 637 on Monday morning.
Zomato Chief PM Meteorologist Navdeep Dahiya said the highest AQI levels above 1000 lasted in New Delhi between 11.30pm and 6.30am.
“East wind at work, now at 11.30am AQI has improved drastically, now at 286 from 379 at the same time yesterday (celebrations before Diwali),” he wrote.
Dahiya also expects the smog to dissipate completely and the AQI to improve by evening.
Adverse weather traps pollutants
The Air Quality Early Warning System attributed the rapid decline to a combination of Diwali emissions, regional stubble burning and very adverse weather conditions.
A ventilation index below 6,000 square meters per second and an average wind speed below 10 km/h significantly limited the dispersion of accumulated smoke.
The agency predicts that the city’s overall AQI is likely to slip completely into the “severe” category during the day and remain there for the next several days.
Judicial restrictions passed in the middle of the winter crisis
The post-Diwali surge in pollution has exacerbated Delhi’s ongoing air quality crisis, an annual winter challenge caused by cold, heavy air trapping automobile emissions and construction dust.
Delhi has been grappling with poor air quality for more than a week, prompting authorities to implement restrictions under a classified action plan on Friday, including moving schools to online classes.
Despite the Supreme Court ordering the use of only certified low-pollution firecrackers during restricted hours, residents across Delhi – and the financial capital Mumbai – reported fireworks continuing late into the night, leaving iconic landmarks such as India Gate shrouded in thick smog.
