Indian capital Delhi sees air quality worsen amid Diwali festivities
Air quality index at 357 as traders report sharp rise in firecrackers sales after court eases restrictions
ANKARA
Air quality in the Indian capital of New Delhi worsened Tuesday with pollution levels rising amid the use of firecrackers for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which was celebrated across the country Monday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
The air quality in Delhi and neighboring areas reached a very poor category on the air quality index (AQI), said the pollution board, which indicated that the air quality index in the capital was recorded at 357, public broadcaster All India Radio reported.
An AQI reading between 201 and 300 is considered poor, followed by very poor from 301 to 400, and severe between 401 and 500. According to experts, AQI in the severe category affects healthy people.
The use of firecrackers came as the country's top court last week relaxed a ban this year and allowed the use of "green crackers" for a maximum of three hours each on Sunday and Monday.
This year, traders in Delhi also reported a sharp rise in firecracker sales, with businessmen stating that there was a demand for firecrackers for the festive season.
As the ban was largely flouted, it triggered concerns. On Tuesday, residents found themselves caught under a heavy layer of smog.
“Delhi’s air quality lies in shambles: 36/38 monitoring stations have hit the 'red zone,' AQI is above 400 in key areas,” Amitabh Kant, who served India’s G-20 Sherpa wrote on US social media company X. He said the Supreme Court in “its wisdom has prioritised the right to burn crackers over the right to live and breathe.”
Delhi Minister Ashish Sood told reporters Tuesday that residents should have followed the court orders. He said, however, that firecrackers are not the only factor for the worsening air quality.
Environmental experts also said the poor air quality in Delhi, a city of more than 16 million, is primarily because of several factors, including the meteorological conditions and firecrackers bursting
Air pollution has become a persistent problem in New Delhi, and it gets worse during the winter, when farmers in nearby areas burn crop stubble and add to the emissions of coal-fired plants and industrial units around the city.
