Delhi’s air quality deteriorates ahead of Diwali

The national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 17.4 degrees Celsius, a notch below its normal. 

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the air quality in the national capital continues to remain in the ‘poor’ category. 

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) in the city was recorded at 260 at 8 am.

An AQI between zero is considered ‘better’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfied’, 101 and 200 ‘medium’, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. 

The purchase, sale, storage and operation of firecrackers has been prohibited till January 2023 in ncr cities including Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad and other areas to prevent the spread of pollution.

In this way, the fear is being expressed that 37 percent of the people will burst firecrackers compared to previous years, due to which Delhi’s air can be polluted to dangerous levels on Diwali night. 

In 2018, 32 per cent of the people burst firecrackers. In 2019, 35 per cent, in 2020, there was a decrease during the Corona period and in 2021, 32 per cent of the people had challenged the administration and the Delhi government by bursting firecrackers.