Its Diwali time and the air quality in many cities deterorites further a day after the festival of lights. While the country's national capital, Delhi, may be the first guess in mind when it comes to the declining Air Quality Index (AQI), here's a glance at the list of top 10 polluted cities, today, November 1, reveals otherwise.
Karnala city in Haryana is currently among the most polluted areas in India, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 471, placing it in the ‘hazardous’ category. Following closely is Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, which has an AQI of 421, also categorized as ‘hazardous.’ Other cities in Uttar Pradesh, such as Rampur, Sambhal, Pilibhit, Budaun, Bareilly, and Shahjahanpur, have also reported AQI levels in the hazardous range.
On the evening of Diwali, the skies over Delhi were illuminated as residents ignored a firecracker ban, with neighborhoods like Lajpat Nagar, Kalkaji, Chhatarpur, and Rohini witnessing celebrations with firecrackers. Currently, Delhi ranks 10th on the list of polluted cities, with an AQI of 396, while Ambala in Haryana ranks 9th with an AQI of 405.
| Cities | AQI |
| Karnal | 471 |
| Moradabad, | 421 |
| Rampur, | 412 |
| Sambhal, | 411 |
| Pilibhit, | 410 |
| Budaun, | 410 |
| Bareilly, | 410 |
| Shahjanpur | 410 |
| Ambala | 405 |
| New Delhi | 396 |
The pollution issue isn't limited to these cities; several other cities across India, including metropolises like Chennai and Mumbai, reported similar conditions, with smog and poor air quality affecting large areas. The CPCB data shows significant pollution levels, especially after Diwali celebrations, raising concerns about air quality and potential health impacts nationwide.
In Uttarakhand's Haridwar, smoky haze day was seen after the Diwali celebration on Friday morning. Due to firecrackers burst on Diwali night, the city was enveloped with thick layer of smoke and saw a drastic difference in air visibility. People complained about respiratory problems and found it impossible to go for a morning walk. On the deteriorating air quality, one of the Residents, Harendra Singh told ANI, "Firecrackers should be banned in the whole country. What kind of damage is done to the body? Even the people who did this are also affected. The damage is very disturbing due to air pollution. These firecrackers make so much noise that sick or weak people are affected. Firecrackers are a waste of money in the country. And people should be educated and taught not to use crackers. These crackers are very harmful, they spoil the air quality. It is necessary to educate people."
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
