Delhi: Cracker ban goes up in smoke

New Delhi: Delhi and the National Capital Region woke up to a blanket of smog on Friday, after a quiet and promising Diwali evening gave way to noisy and relentless bursting of firecrackers till late night on Thursday, despite a Supreme Court ban on their sale in the NCR.

After a night of cracker bursting, the air quality in the national capital turned ‘severe’ on Friday, with Delhiites waking up to a smog filled sky. 

As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 403, which falls under the ‘severe’ category. The levels of ultra fine particles — PM (Particulate Matter) 10 and PM 2.5 in air were alarmingly high at 595 and 407 microgramme per cubic metre (ug/m3), approximately six and seven times respectively higher than their prescribed limits of 100 and 60 ug/mn3. 

PM 2.5 particles are the finest pollutants capable of making inroads into human lung and blood tissues and increase the risk of heart and lung diseases. 

Severe level triggers a serious risk of respiratory effects in general public and calls for a health warning of emergency conditions wherein everyone should avoid all physical activity outdoors; people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should remain indoors and keep activity levels low. 

Diwali night on Thursday saw a relentless bursting of firecrackers in most parts of the city. 

Despite the ban, the 24-hour average level of PM 2.5 during Diwali and the morning after (12 pm – 12 pm, October 19-20) has been 397 ug/m3. “This is 6.6 times higher than the standards and are at emergency level. This is more than two times higher than the levels during pre-Diwali day when the 24-hour average was 184 ug/m3,” said an analysis by Centre for Science and Environment.

Even though the pollution levels did not soar like last Diwali, when Delhi experienced its worst smog in last five years, and in fact this Diwali was the “cleanest” in last three years, AQI observed a day after on Friday was very close to last year’s. In 2016, the day after Diwali, the AQI was recorded at 431, as compared to 403 this year. 

The online indicators of the pollution monitoring stations in the city also glowed red and the real time pollution data appeared alarming on Diwali night. 

Calm winds and more moisture in the air on post-Diwali morning worsened the pollution build up, resulting in pollutants getting trapped in air for a longer time. 

Meanwhile, a 15 per cent rise has been reported in the number of patients visiting AIIMS due to cardio-pulmonary problems.

Night-long Diwali revelries left the capital city polluted on Friday morning. At the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), there was a rush of patients, complaining of heart and breathing problems, as compared to the average number of people visiting the facility before the festival, doctors said.