Delhi's air quality lowest in last 5 years after Diwali, still 'very poor'

The pollution level in Delhi a day after Diwali was the lowest in last five years, according to environment minister Gopal Rai. He added that thirty per cent less firecrackers burst in Delhi this Diwali as "people are becoming aware".

The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 312 was the second best for the Diwali day in seven years. Before this, the city had recorded an AQI of 281 on Diwali in 2018.

However, the air quality in the national capital was still "very poor". Despite the ban, several people burst the firecrackers on Monday night.

The AQI of Delhi was 323 at 8 AM, according to the Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality forecast agency SAFAR. The neighbouring cities of Ghaziabad (285), Noida (320), Greater Noida (294), Gurugram (315) and Faridabad (310) reported "poor" to "very poor" air quality.

Readings below 50 are considered safe, 51 and 100 is "satisfactory" and anything above 300 is considered hazardous or "severe".

On Tuesday, Delhi was the world's second most polluted city worldwide, with an AQI of 202, according to IQAir. Mumbai was the only other Indian city on the list at the third spot with an AQI at 198. Pakistan's Lahore was the top most polluted city worldwide.

Ahead of Diwali, Delhi's AQI was recorded at 247, in the “poor” category, on Sunday. 

The Delhi government had taken several measures to contain the pollution in the capital this time. Rai said last week that 408 teams had been formed to ensure effective implementation of the ban on firecrackers. The Delhi Police set up 210 teams under assistant commissioners of police, while the revenue department has set up 165 teams and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has constituted 33 teams.

According to SAFAR's prediction, if firecrackers had been burst like last year, the air quality would have plunged to "severe" levels on the night of Diwali itself and may have continued to remain in the "red" zone for another day.