‘Cracker' Of A Diwali Leaves Delhi Gasping

No lesson learnt! Bursting of firecrackers in defiance of curbs pushes pollution level into irreversible danger zone

- Abhishek Anand and Isha Gupta in New Delhi & Noida

In a burst of senseless and almost suicidal hedonism, many people in the National Capital Region celebrated Diwali by lighting up illegal and dangerously polluting firecrackers.

Restrictions, curbs, appeals and campaigns literally went up in smoke in many parts of Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad and Delhi – sending pollution levels shooting past the danger mark.

Air Quality Index (AQI) plunged to ‘Very Poor’ and ‘Hazardous’ categories in many stretches of NCR. On Diwali night, many areas in Delhi recorded an AQI of 999, beyond which a reading is not possible. The prescribed limit is 60.

Data shows that Delhi’s air remains polluted throughout the year, but stubble burning and bursting crackers convert it into a veritable gas chamber.

Around 11 pm on Sunday, AQI in areas such as RK Puram, Patparganj, around Satyawati College and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium hit 999, which is 16 times more than the prescribed limit. The AQI is a parameter of concentration levels of PM2.5, PM10, sulphur dioxide and other pollutant particles present in the air.

On Monday morning, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida topped the charts for air pollution with AQI readings for particulate matter (PM) 2.5 at 565 and 415 respectively. The AQI reading at Anand Vihar in Delhi was 416 on Monday morning – which falls in the ‘Very Poor’ category.

With Delhi's air quality reaching dangerous levels around Diwali every year, the Supreme Court had in 2018 banned polluting firecrackers and ordered that only green crackers – which are said to cause 30% less pollution – can be manufactured and sold. It also set a two-hour time limit for setting these off.

There is no escape in sight, now that the air has been so fouled up. Experts say pollutants are now trapped in the heavy wintry air and respite is possible only if there is a strong wind or heavy rain – which are nowhere in sight.