Mon Nov 18 04:17:14 UTC 2024: ## Kolkata Suffers Worst Air Quality in Eastern India After Deepavali

**Kolkata, November 15, 2024** – Eastern India experienced a significant dip in air quality following Deepavali celebrations, with Kolkata recording the worst air quality index (AQI) among major state capitals. The city’s AQI reached “very poor” levels in many areas, rivaling Delhi’s notoriously poor post-festival air.

While pre-Deepavali air quality was improved across the region thanks to Cyclone Dana, the situation dramatically changed after the festivities. Kolkata’s Rabindra Bharati University recorded an AQI of 310 on Deepavali, and Ballygunge reached 300 on November 2nd. This contrasted sharply with Ranchi, Jharkhand, where AQI spiked to 290 on November 1st after a period of clean air brought by the cyclone. Bhubaneswar, Odisha, saw a more moderate increase, peaking at 186 on November 2nd.

Recovery was swift for Ranchi and Bhubaneswar, while Kolkata’s air quality remained “very poor” for a longer duration, indicating a slower improvement and overall worse AQI than the other two capital cities. The prolonged poor air quality in Kolkata highlights the need for stricter measures to control pollution resulting from the festival celebrations.

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