New Delhi, Nov 9: Delhi post-Diwali pollution worsened sharply on Monday, a day after Diwali celebrations. Several localities recorded air quality in the ‘Severe’ category. Monitoring data showed the AQI nearing 450 in Sonia Vihar, while many other areas also reported dangerously high pollution levels.
Thick smog covered several parts of the national Capital during the morning. It also reduced visibility considerably, particularly around Inderlok and nearby residential areas.
Delhi AQI Reaches 449 in Sonia Vihar
According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Sameer application, Delhi recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 376. This placed the city in the ‘Very Poor’ category.
However, several monitoring stations reported much higher readings. Sonia Vihar topped the list with an AQI of 449. Burari Crossing followed at 445, while Vivek Vihar recorded 441, according to a Pollution Dashboard.
Jahangirpuri recorded an AQI of 439. Delhi University’s North Campus followed at 437, while Rohini registered 435.
Other areas also reported ‘Severe’ air quality. DTU recorded 431 and Bawana 424. Chandni Chowk and Patparganj both registered 418. Mundka recorded 413, while NIH Narela and Punjabi Bagh reported 408 each. The Commonwealth Sports Complex and ITO both recorded 404.
Firecracker Restrictions Raise Questions
The post-Diwali pollution spike has once again raised questions about measures to control firecracker emissions. Despite restrictions and Supreme Court directions, people continued bursting firecrackers in several parts of Delhi beyond the permitted hours.
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The situation has also drawn attention to the agencies responsible for monitoring air quality. An NDTV report said pollution levels in several neighbourhoods had risen significantly above prescribed limits on Diwali night.
R.K. Puram and Nehru Nagar, near Lajpat Nagar, ranked among the worst-affected locations until 9 p.m. The real-time monitoring system initially showed a sharp rise in pollution levels.
However, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s (DPCC) website reportedly stopped displaying live readings from several monitoring stations for a few hours.
The affected locations included R.K. Puram, Nehru Nagar, Mundka, Sonia Vihar and Dwarka. This raised concerns over access to monitoring data during the peak pollution period.
Kapil Mishra Targets Arvind Kejriwal Over Pollution Row
Separately, Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra targeted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal. Mishra alleged that a campaign from Kejriwal’s residence sought to malign the festival of Deepavali under the guise of pollution concerns.
Official figures also indicated that pollution levels in some parts of Delhi exceeded the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended limits by more than 50 times. This followed reports of residents bursting firecrackers beyond the Supreme Court’s 10 p.m. deadline.
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–IANS
