Delhi air quality hits 371 during Diwali celebrations on Sunday
The city's average Air Quality Index reached the very poor category as residents reported smelling smoke and experiencing haze.
Delhi's instantaneous Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 371 at 7 pm on Sunday, placing the city in the 'very poor' category, according to reports from Hindustan Times and Moneycontrol. The pollution levels rose from a reading of 369 recorded on Saturday.
As Diwali celebrations gathered pace, social media users reported smelling smog and firecracker smoke. Some residents also flagged reduced visibility across different parts of the capital. PM2.5 was identified as the predominant pollutant, with emissions from firecrackers adding to the particulate matter.
Of the 59 monitoring stations recording data at 7 pm, several areas reached the 'severe' threshold. Jahangirpuri recorded the highest AQI at 460, according to Hindustan Times, while Moneycontrol reported the figure at 464. Other highly polluted areas included Sonia Vihar, North Campus, Rohini, and Burari Crossing.
The Decision Support System (DSS) for Delhi projected that the transport sector would be the largest contributor to pollution on Sunday at 19 per cent. Stubble burning was estimated to contribute 3.5 per cent.
The Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) has forecast that air quality could turn 'severe' on Monday and remain in that category from November 9 for several days. Experts attributed the anticipated deterioration to firecrackers, vehicular emissions, and stubble burning in neighbouring states, alongside unfavourable meteorological conditions.