Post-Diwali air quality better than 2021 in several cities, shows CPCB data

Delhi air quality 'very poor' the day after; improvement over previous years

This Diwali has brought a whiff of optimism. A smaller share of Indian cities had poor air quality after Diwali than in 2021.

Around 39 per cent of cities recorded poor air quality or worse on the day after Diwali, compared to 55 per cent in 2021, shows an analysis of data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Air quality in 73 cities fell in “poor”, “very poor” or “severe” categories the day after Diwali in 2021, out of 133 cities for which data is available. This figure dropped to 66 cities out of 171 in 2022. Many have