Smog blankets New Delhi as Diwali firecrackers worsen air quality
Heavy smog has blanketed New Delhi after firecrackers lit up the Indian capital during Diwali celebrations, worsening the seasonal pollution crisis.
Heavy smog has blanketed New Delhi after firecrackers lit up the Indian capital during Diwali celebrations, worsening the seasonal pollution crisis.
Article outline
- What happened
- The key numbers
- Official response
- The bottom line
Key points
- On Wednesday, days before Diwali, toxic air pollution in New Delhi surged to more than 30 times the WHO's recommended daily limit, data from air monitors indicated.
- Last month, India's Supreme Court put in place restrictions to limit Diwali pollution, allowing only approved "green firecrackers" under specified conditions for three-hour windows on Saturday and Sunday.
- New Delhi, home to 30 million individuals, persistently ranks among the world's most polluted capital cities.
- Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, was celebrated throughout India on Sunday.
- When cooler temperatures, low wind speeds and stagnant atmospheric conditions prevent pollutants from dispersing, the matter is exacerbated during the winter.
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, was celebrated throughout India on Sunday. Despite restrictions on fireworks, New Delhi residents celebrated the festival of lights with firecrackers throughout Sunday evening, releasing smoke and fine particulate matter into the atmosphere.
On Monday morning, the Air Quality Index exceeded 350 in a number of parts of the capital, categorised as "severe" and posing significant health risks, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended exposure thresholds.
Last month, India's Supreme Court put in place restrictions to limit Diwali pollution, allowing only approved "green firecrackers" under specified conditions for three-hour windows on Saturday and Sunday. The approved crackers produce fewer emissions but are not pollution-free.
While biomass burning, including farm stubble fires, contributes 20 percent, according to India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, vehicles account for 23 percent of New Delhi's winter pollution.
Meanwhile, the result is a thick haze that can linger over the capital and surrounding areas for days.
In short, smog blankets New Delhi as Diwali firecrackers worsen air quality is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.
