Thick smog blankets Delhi on Deepavali night as AQI hits severe levels
Air quality at 20 monitoring stations reached the severe category as firecracker smoke and haze reduced visibility across the capital.
A thick layer of smog covered Delhi on Sunday night, November 8, as Deepavali celebrations intensified. According to The Hindu, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 371 at 10 pm, with 20 monitoring stations recording air quality in the 'severe' category.
The haze became more concentrated as the evening went on, with smoke from firecrackers settling over residential areas and roads. Residents reported difficulty breathing and low visibility, while the smell of burnt crackers remained in the air.
Sonia Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 463, followed by Jahangirpuri at 450. Other areas including Rohini, Burari, Alipur, Punjabi Bagh, and Okhla also remained in the 'severe' category throughout the day.
Despite restrictions, fireworks were reported in Pitampura, Burari, Mayur Vihar, and parts of Lutyens' Delhi. The District Magistrate (East) had previously permitted the use of green firecrackers only on November 7 and 8 during specific morning and evening windows.
The city's average AQI for the day was 376, classified as 'very poor', up from 369 on Saturday. PM2.5 was identified as the main pollutant in the capital on Sunday.
The Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) has forecast that Delhi's air quality is likely to enter the 'severe' category from November 9 and stay there for several days.