Delhi's Air Quality Returns to 'Severe' After Diwali

Delhi Air Pollution, on Tuesday Delhi air endured in the very poor category, with the AQI at 361 marking a little upgrade from Monday’s 403. A day after it declined remarkably due to the unbridled bursting of firecrackers in Delhi on Diwali night and nearby days.

From Tuesday to Thursday, Delhi air quality is in the severe category, according to the Early Warning Systems.

On Tuesday morning, Delhi recorded an average AQI of 361, according to data delivered by the Central Pollution Control. The ITO station recorded an AQI of 427, Delhi University’s north campus recorded 398 and Airport recorded 426. The AQI at 4 pm exacerbates to 358, and degenerates further to 403 (severe) by 10 pm on Monday.

The government will start the odd-even vehicle rationing scheme if the air quality reaches severe plus (450 or above), according the Environment Minister Gopal Rai. They also claimed that on Sunday night, the firecrackers burst in the city for Diwali came from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. They also said they, “in all three states (UP, Haryana, and Delhi), the police force works under the BJP, if there had been a ban in Up and Harayana, then this wouldn’t have happened.”

On Sunday night, air quality levels were recorded in several parts as firecrackers were set off in dissent of the van. On Sunday, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI deteriorated from what was a figure of 212 (poor category) at 11 am and 301 (very poor) on Monday. It is expected to arrive “ severe Category” on Tuesday.

On Monday, Delhi’s AQI was recorded at 358, with the after-effect of the current rainfall wearing off and firecrackers excretion adding to the pollution levels, inferior to the ost-Diwali AQI recorded last year.

In this air quality worse, parties start a blame game between the AAP and BJP. On one side AAP government alleged the BJP of “bringing out people to defy the firecracker ban against the Supreme Court order, the BJP indicted the AAP government of failing to inflict the ban.

On Tuesday, Morning Delhi witnessed a partly cloudy sky and shallow to moderate fog. On Tuesday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 12 degrees Celsius a day after it released to the season’s lowest at 11.2 degrees Celsius. The maximum is likely 27 degrees on Tuesday, according to the IMD forecast.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) categorizes air quality into different levels. A range of 0 to 50 is classified as “good,” 51 to 100 as “satisfactory,” 101 to 200 as “moderate,” 201 to 300 as “poor,” 301 to 400 as “very poor,” and 401 to 500 as “severe.”

In the range of 400 to 500, the air quality significantly affects the health of both healthy individuals and those with pre-existing conditions. Exposure to an AQI level of 301 to 400 can lead to respiratory illnesses over extended periods.

An AQI level of 201-300 and 150-200 may be harmful for people with lings, asthma, and heart diseases. According to the CPCB data, Delhi saw an AQI of 312 last year on Diwali, 382 in 2021, 414 in 2020, 281 in 2018, and 319 in 2017.

In Delhi, Air Quality and other parts of North India degenerate every year ahead of winter when cold air ambushes pollutants from vehicles, industry, construction buildings dust, and stubble burning.

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