While Delhi was projected to witness the cleanest Diwali in the past eight years, the locals burst firecrackers across the NCR region, flouting the Supreme Court's ban. The result of the same was seen on the very next morning as the AQI stood at 434 ('Severe' category). A yellowish smog engulfed the national capital on Monday and could be seen through the evening. The local municipal body tried to counter the pollutio by deploying anti-smog guns in the city that sprinkled water on the streets.
News agency ANI shared the visual of an anti-smog gun being used near the Sarai Kale Khan area.
Besides the worrying air pollution, a large amount of toxic foam was seen floating on the surface of river Yamuna near the Kalindi Kunj area at around 4 pm today.
The concentration of fine, lung-damaging particles known as PM2.5 rose by 45 per cent on Diwali as compared to 2022, said the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).
Delhi recorded a 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration of 314 micrograms per cubic meter. In 2022, the 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration stood at 217 micrograms per cubic meter, and in 2021, it stood at 607 micrograms per cubic meter, as reported by news agency PTI.
According to the DPCC, the PM10 concentration on Diwali rose by 33 per cent as compared to last year.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai while talking about this increase in air pollution said, "The bursting of firecrackers has increased pollution levels in Delhi. Not many people have burst firecrackers but, it was done in some places in a targeted manner. The way BJP leaders were inciting people, its result can be seen today."
The BJP, on the other hand, responded to the allegation by blaming Rai for "doing politics of polarisation."
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