Pollution spikes after Deepawali fireworks in capital

Bengaluru : In Bangalore, the air pollution level has increased significantly due to the widespread bursting of firecrackers for the past few days. The air quality index has reached poor levels in the city, crossing the 100 mark in 90 per cent areas.

Due to Deepawali festival, the air quality of the capital has declined. Air quality index has crossed the 100 mark in almost all the air quality monitoring stations installed in Bangalore.

The Pollution Control Board had allowed only the sale of green firecrackers for Deepawali festival. The government also administered to sell green fireworks. Fireworks were scheduled only from 8 to 10 pm. However, people have given up all these rules and burst firecrackers. Thus the pollution has increased.

The air quality index was 155 ACI in the BTM layout. 120 (AQI) at Bapujinagar, City Railway Station 155 (AQI), Hebbal 122 (AQI), Hombegowda Nagar 106 (AQI), Jayanagar 118 (AQI), Kasturi Nagar 140 (AQI), Mylasandra 129 (AQI), Shivapura- Peenya 139 (AQI) and 120 (AQI) was recorded on silk board. Further it was increased on November 2.

The air quality index in Hebbal, Bengaluru has crossed 400 ACI. By this the worst amount of wind is around the python. It is said that the reason for this is that the firecrackers are burst in large quantities in the surrounding areas and the traffic on the airport road has increased.

Despite the ban on firecrackers, the air quality in the national capital Delhi reached extremely poor standards on Friday. Firecrackers have been burst on a massive scale in defiance of the government’s ban order. In addition, farmers in neighboring states are burning agricultural waste in large quantities. As a result of all this, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi has fallen to 362. This is the first time in last three years that Delhi has witnessed the most polluted Diwali.

Other areas of Delhi recorded poor air quality at 355 in Alipur, 396 in Anand Vihar, 389 in Ashok Vihar, 394 in Burari and 371 in Mathura Road. The concentration of pollutant particles (PM2.5) which seriously affects breathing is dense. Children, elderly people, people suffering from disease are going to be at risk. The Delhi Pollution Control Board informed that the people of Delhi are breathing air that is three times worse than the average air quality.