Diwali celebrations in Delhi resulted in a severe situation of hazardous pollution today. The city was under toxic air since a few days and the bursting of firecrackers worsened the situation.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB,) the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded in Anand Vihar and in areas around Major Dhyan Chand Stadium was 999. The AQI recorded at the U.S. Embassy situated in Chanakyapuri was 459. The AQI recorded in all these areas falls under the ‘hazardous’ category.
Delhi celebrated Diwali despite the dangerous situation of smog over the city, which added to the pollution. Station House Officers (SHO) were responsible for ensuring no one goes against the verdict given by the Supreme Court on firecrackers. The areas where the violation of law took place were Anand Vihar, Jahangir Puri Mayur Vihar Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Lutyens Delhi, IP Extension, Noida Sectors and Dwarka. Places like Gurugram and Ghaziabad also violated the rules by bursting firecrackers till late hours.
The Supreme Court, days before Diwali, imposed rules regarding the bursting of firecrackers to eliminate unnecessary pollution, especially in Delhi. The rules listed were the ban on the use of old crackers, the use of green crackers and the time slots of 2 hours to burst crackers.
According to sources, the Central Pollution Control Board recorded an AQI of 302 around 11:00 P.M., yesterday. The online indicators of pollution monitoring stations considered it to belong to the ‘very poor’ category. Harmful particles like PM 2.5 and PM 10, which cause pollution, rose sharply.
The Central Government has already taken certain measures such as hosting a 10 days’ Clean Air Campaign to save the city. The campaign began from the 1st of November, but as of now, the situation seems no better.
The poor air quality is a threat to the people residing in Delhi. As per doctors, the pollution and the toxic air may result in serious health issues affecting the lungs and the heart badly. The poor air quality and can also lead to death, if not taken care of properly.
