Diwali 2021: Delhi-NCR Air Quality ‘Severe’, Likely to Worsen on Friday as Firecracker Ban Goes Up in Smoke

Residents from several parts of the city and its suburbs complained of itchy throat and watery eyes, as a layer of smog, the first episode this season, lingered over the region.

New Delhi: Skies over Delhi hung heavy with smoke and its air quality turned severe on Diwali night as people burst firecrackers in a blatant disregard to the government’s ban against it. The situation was aggravated further as the festivities have coincided with seasonal farm fires, fumes from which invade the city around winter.

The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (424), Ghaziabad (442), Gurgaon (423) and Noida (431) also recorded ‘severe’ air quality with cracker bursting peaking after 9 pm. Residents from several parts of the city and its suburbs complained of itchy throat and watery eyes, as a layer of smog, the first episode this season, lingered over the region.

The air quality of the Delhi-NCR region has worsened further as AQI of eight areas here has crossed the 400-mark and settled at ‘severe’ category by Thursday afternoon, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.

#WATCH | People burst crackers in Delhi on #Diwali. Visuals from Adhchini and Greater Kailash.

Delhi government has banned the bursting and sale of all firecrackers, including green crackers. pic.twitter.com/Y9G473JYVr

— ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2021

Delhi’s air quality index for the week: 

• According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s data, the capital’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 382 on Thursday.
• Delhi’s Air Quality Index stood at 314 on Wednesday(Nov 3, 2021).
• Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index of Delhi on Tuesday(Nov 2, 2021 ) was 303.
• Delhi’s Air Quality Index stood at 281 on Nov 1, 2021(Monday).

Gufran Beig, the founder project director of SAFAR said that the PM2.5 pollution in the capital may enter the “severe” zone by midnight even if there is 50 per cent of firecrackers emissions as compared to last year, as reported by news agency PTI.

Places that recorded the highest Air Quality Index on Diwali Afternoon 

AQI of five areas in Delhi, two in Ghaziabad was recorded over 400 by CPCB in its data collected at 1 PM, showing Wazirpur (433), Alipur (406), Bawana (402), Jahangiri (439) Nehru Nagar (413) in Delhi, Loni (450) and Sanjay Nagar (404) in Ghaziabad and Sector 62 (420) in Noida among those under the last category of the index.

The meteorological agencies have predicted an AQI of 500 plus for Thursday and Friday when Delhiites burst crackers on Diwali day. According to health experts, an AQI of such an extent may cause respiratory problems even in healthy people, and serious health impacts on people with lung or heart disease. The health impacts may be experienced even during light physical activity.

Stubble burning likely to increase over next 3 days

With stubble burning share in Delhi’s air pollution set to increase over the next three days, SAFAR has projected an AQI of 500 plus on November 5 even if Delhiites burst 50 per cent fewer crackers compared to the last year.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research(SAFAR) under the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), an agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said as per sensitivity simulation, stubble share on Nov 4, 2021, is predicted to increase to 20 per cent and will touch a peak of 35-40 per cent on November 5 and 6, if fire counts are considered same as today (3,500-4,000).

This is largely due to transport-level winds reaching Delhi from North-Westerly, where stubble burning hotspots are expected, SAFAR added.

By when can Delhiites expect relief from the excessive pollution

According to the air quality forecast agency”Relief is expected only from the evening of November 7 but AQI will fluctuate within ‘very poor’ range.”

Role of Delhi Government for handling pollution 

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday had urged the Centre to issue an advisory to Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to completely stop stubble burning during the Diwali period so that people could breathe easy after the festival.

What does an AQI Value indicate about the air quality?

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

(With Inputs From IANS)