Delhi’s Air Quality Plummets Post-Diwali Amid Green Cracker Use

Delhi woke up to smoggy skies and ‘very poor’ air quality on Diwali morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hitting 347 at 7 am, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

This figure is slightly better than last year’s post-Diwali AQI of 359 recorded at 6:30 am. The Supreme Court had permitted the use of green crackers this Diwali to balance public health concerns with the interests of the firecracker industry.

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The city’s 24-hour average AQI, reported daily at 4 pm, stood at 345 on Diwali, remaining in the ‘very poor’ category, based on data from 38 of Delhi’s 39 monitoring stations, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Prolonged exposure to such air quality can lead to respiratory issues, the CPCB warns.

Air Quality Across Delhi

Most of Delhi’s 38 monitoring stations reported ‘very poor’ AQI levels. For instance, Anand Vihar recorded PM 2.5 at 358 and PM 10 at 340, while Wazirpur’s AQI reached 408, falling into the ‘severe’ category, with PM 2.5 as the primary pollutant. Visuals from areas like Dilli Haat, INA showed drivers using headlights due to thick smog obscuring visibility. RK Puram recorded an AQI of 368.

Understanding AQI

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool to communicate air pollution levels in simple terms. It measures eight key pollutants: particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), lead (Pb), and ammonia (NH3). According to CPCB standards, AQI levels are classified as follows: 0-50 (‘good’), 51-100 (‘satisfactory’), 101-200 (‘moderate’), 201-300 (‘poor’), 301-400 (‘very poor’), and 401-500 (‘severe’).

Green Crackers in Focus

On October 15, the Supreme Court permitted the use of green crackers in Delhi on October 20 and 21, restricting their use to specific hours: 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The court, led by Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, noted that a total ban on firecrackers often leads to smuggling of conventional ones, which are more harmful than green crackers. The district administration and police were tasked with enforcing these time restrictions.

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Green crackers, developed by CSIR-NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute), are designed to emit 30% less pollution than traditional firecrackers. They contain fewer harmful chemicals like barium and aluminium and include additives to reduce dust and smoke.