Delhi’s air quality on Thursday evening dipped to “very poor” category, with levels expected to worsen to the “severe” category on Diwali night.
The city’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 328 at 4 pm, up from 307 on Wednesday, reported PTI.
Earlier today, Delhiites woke up to a sky shrouded in a thick layer of smog. The air in Anand Vihar, a major terminus was extremely polluted with the AQI in the “severe” category.
At 8 am, Anand Vihar’s average AQI (PM10) was recorded at 419, while maximum was 500.
Every year, Delhi’s skies rumble with the sounds of firecrackers that explode across the city with no intervention from enforcement authorities despite far-ranging curbs on their manufacture, sale and use.
This results in a deadly cocktail — emissions from these firecrackers, laden with toxic chemicals like barium, sulphur and lead, dovetail with the already steep levels of local pollutants and smoke from farm fires.
Delhi government has imposed a comprehensive ban on the manufacture, storage, sale, and use of firecrackers.
On Diwali eve, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai announced that 377 teams had been formed to enforce the ban on firecrackers across the national capital.
He said that authorities are in touch with the resident welfare associations, market associations, and social organisations to spread awareness.
“If we all try to come together and keep one thing in mind that we have to celebrate Diwali with diyas and distribute sweets and not create problems for children and elders in our homes by burning crackers. If the whole of Delhi takes care of the lives of our children and elders, then I think that we can save Delhi from the smoke that happens every year after Diwali,” ANI quoted Rai as saying.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have also formed teams to ensure that firecrackers are not burst.
“Legal action will be taken against those found bursting crackers. They may also be booked under the relevant sections of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) for violating government orders,” an officer was quoted as saying by PTI.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classes the air quality index between 0-50 as “good”, between 51 and 100 as “satisfactory”, between 101 and 200 as “moderate”, between 201 and 300 as “poor”, between 301 and 400 as “very poor”, and over 400 as “severe”.