HYDERABAD: Air quality in the national capital and in Hyderabad deteriorated sharply after heavy fireworks during Diwali celebrations, leaving both cities under a thick blanket of smoke and toxic gases. Children, the elderly and people with respiratory conditions have reported difficulty breathing.
In Delhi, celebrations on Sunday night pushed the Air Quality Index (AQI) to 371, placing it in the “very poor” category. Of the city’s 59 pollution monitoring stations, 19 recorded severe conditions, with Jahangirpuri registering the highest reading at 460. The citywide average AQI, which stood at 369 on Saturday, rose to 376 by Sunday. Officials have warned that conditions could worsen on Monday as crop-residue burning in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana, vehicular emissions and firework smoke combine.
To contain the pollution, authorities have invoked Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR. The stage is typically enforced when the AQI crosses 401 or is projected to reach severe levels. Under the restrictions, construction and demolition activity is prohibited, and four-wheelers running on BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel are barred from the roads. The government has also directed that only 50 percent of staff attend government offices in person, with the remainder working from home.
In Hyderabad, the live AQI climbed to 321 on Diwali night, a hazardous level. A sharp rise in fine particulate matter, including PM2.5 and PM10, left the city shrouded in smog. Environmental experts have cautioned that it could take several more days for the effects to clear.