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While India Was Celebrating Diwali By Bursting Crackers, Delhi’s AQI Hit 999 On Nov 12 And That’s Glaring!

by Vaishalee Kalvankar
While India Was Celebrating Diwali By Bursting Crackers, Delhi’s AQI Hit 999 On Nov 12 And That’s Glaring!

On November 12, India celebrated the festival of lights with loads of enthusiasm in the air. Okay, the air did not only have enthusiasm; it also contained lots of pollutants, as there were crackers burst everywhere. The result was that Delhi’s AQI, as recorded on the night of November 12, had reached 999. This is extremely glaring, and here is a peek into the AQI of other metro cities too. 

Delhi’s AQI Hit 999 On Nov 12 

Delhi has been hitting headlines for quite a few days now because of its hazardous AQI index numbers. Pictures and videos showing the air quality in the city have been circulating on social media. Many people raised concerns about the same, while others tried to find solutions. Some were concerned about the AQI during Diwali, as many people tend to indulge in bursting crackers. 

It was noted that the air quality index (AQI) of the capital city had been reduced to 120 on November 11. But on the night of Diwali, the AQI index reached 999, which indicates ‘hazardous air’ in the city. 

The capital city actually woke up to a thick smog cover on November 13 following Diwali celebrations in the city. Despite the ban on bursting crackers in the city, many people actually indulged in it, which led to the deterioration of the air quality. 

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Air Quality In Major Metro Cities

Talking about Mumbai, the city too had to face the aftermath of bursting firecrackers on November 12. If you take a look at the city’s AQI in the last 24 hours, you would see that in the afternoon on November 12, the AQI was at 79, while at midnight it went straight up to 217. 

While people are talking about Delhi’s deteriorating air quality, people in Patna feel no different. Taking a look at its last 24 hours of AQI data, it was seen that the best AQI was recorded in the city at 577, and that rose to 592 after bursting firecrackers. 

Credits: AQI

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Best Diwali Air Quality In 8 Years

The western disturbance brought in by winds and rainfall last week actually helped in pushing away pollutants from the air. Though the air quality was still in the ‘severe’ category, the silver lining in the cloud was the fact that the city had recorded its best Diwali air quality in the last 8 years. 

The 24-hour average AQI was 218, which is of poor quality but still a lot better than the previous years. The AQI in 2022 was at 312, and in 2021 it was at 382. 

People were seen posting their firecrackers and fireworks stories on the internet even after the Delhi government’s ‘Diya Jalao, Patake Nahi’ campaign. This also included the ban order on fireworks by the Supreme Court. 

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) data showed the air quality in the poor section and in the hazardous category during midnight. 

Also Read: Uber Writes To Transport Dept To Not Ban Non-Delhi Registered Uber Cabs As They Run On Clean Fuel

What are your views?

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva

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First Published: November 13, 2023 1:05 PM