Fri Nov 01 02:20:00 UTC 2024: ## Diwali Fireworks Turn Delhi Into a Gas Chamber, PM 2.5 Levels Skyrocket

**New Delhi:** Despite a ban on fireworks, Diwali celebrations in Delhi saw widespread use of firecrackers, pushing air quality to alarming levels. The PM 2.5 level reached a shocking 900, exceeding the acceptable limit by a staggering 15 times.

On Diwali night, stations like RK Puram and Jahangirpuri recorded severe pollution levels at 8 PM. Data transmission inexplicably stopped after 9 PM. However, by 10 PM, Nehru Nagar, Patparganj, Ashok Vihar, and Okhla reported PM 2.5 levels of 850-900. The safe limit for PM 2.5 is 60 micrograms per cubic meter, making the current levels extremely dangerous.

Other areas in Delhi, including Wazirpur, Pusa, and Vivek Vihar, also reported concerning levels of pollution. Wazirpur recorded 603, Pusa 601, and Vivek Vihar 677 micrograms per cubic meter, exceeding the limit by 11 times. Dwarka and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium recorded 500 micrograms per cubic meter, eight times the safe level.

The alarmingly high air quality poses serious health risks, increasing respiratory problems and other health complications. However, there is a possibility of improvement in the coming days due to winds blowing at 12 kilometers per hour, expected to increase to 16 kilometers per hour.

Prior to Diwali, the Delhi government had deployed 377 teams to enforce the firecracker ban and raise awareness. Officials engaged with Resident Welfare Associations, market associations, and social organizations to discourage the use of fireworks. Despite these efforts, the city witnessed widespread flouting of the ban, leading to the current hazardous situation.

This incident once again highlights the detrimental impact of firecracker use on air quality. The combination of factors like unfavorable weather, vehicle emissions, stubble burning, and local pollution sources create a toxic environment in Delhi during winter, effectively turning the city into a gas chamber. The situation is expected to worsen between November 1st and 15th, as stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana increases.

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