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The festive air of Diwali in Delhi was marred by a thick blanket of smog, leading to a significant deterioration in the city's air quality. The Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'very poor' category on Diwali, with predictions indicating a further decline to the 'severe' category as a result of the traditional firecracker celebrations during the night. Delhi residents woke up to a sky shrouded in smog, a grim reminder of the city's perennial struggle with air pollution.
The air quality in Anand Vihar, a major transportation hub, reached 'severe' levels, a stark indicator of the severity of the pollution. The city's 24-hour average AQI recorded at 4 pm stood at 328, a slight increase from 307 on the previous day, Chhoti Diwali. In contrast, Diwali 2023 saw a much clearer sky with an AQI of 218, a marked improvement compared to the previous years. The positive impact of factors such as decreased stubble burning, pre-Diwali rain, and favorable meteorological conditions in 2023, had contributed to a significant reduction in air pollution levels.
Despite the efforts of the Delhi government in implementing a comprehensive ban on the manufacture, storage, sale, and use of firecrackers for the past four years, the air quality remained significantly poor on Diwali. This underscores the complex and multifaceted nature of the air pollution challenge in Delhi, highlighting the need for a holistic approach involving a combination of measures, including stricter enforcement of the firecracker ban, tackling vehicular emissions, and effective control of industrial pollution.
Source: Delhi's air quality deteriorates to 'very poor' on Diwali this year