Air Pollution in Cities Live Updates: Highlights

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Friday thanked Delhi residents for "largely refraining from bursting firecrackers" during Diwali, a move he credited with keeping the city's air quality index (AQI) from dropping into the 'severe' category. "Thanks to the responsible actions of many residents who avoided using firecrackers, we managed to avoid a severe AQI reading," Rai stated.

He acknowledged, however, that while most residents complied with the ban, some did burst crackers, adding that air quality could have seen even more improvement with full compliance.

In an ongoing effort to maintain air quality in the capital, the government also launched a special dust-control campaign on Diwali. According to Rai, two mobile smog guns were deployed in each Assembly constituency, where they actively sprayed water on roads to reduce dust and further combat pollution levels.

Residents and political leaders in New Delhi have raised concerns about pollution after toxic foam was seen floating on the Yamuna River in the Kalindi Kunj area on Friday.

The foam appeared ahead of Chhath Puja, leading authorities to spray chemical defoamers to address it. BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla blamed the Delhi government and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for the pollution.

Environment minister Gopal Rai credited residents for lighting diyas instead of firecrackers, saying their efforts helped keep pollution in check, aided by departmental support.

The Chennai police registered at least 379 cases for violating the prescribed time limits for bursting crackers on Diwali.

Fire department data shows that there were 280 calls related to fire incidents, eight for animal rescue, six for bird rescue, nine each for other rescues and special jobs that include road accidents or cases not related to fire, seven for standby, and others.Atul Garg, director of DFS, said that all previous records were broken. "We suspect that the reasons behind most of the fires were firecrackers or earthen lamps," he said.

On Friday morning, the sky over Haridwar was shrouded in a smoky haze following Diwali celebrations. The extensive use of firecrackers on Diwali night left the city blanketed in a thick layer of smoke, significantly reducing air visibility. The decreased visibility led some residents to experience respiratory issues, making it difficult for them to go for their usual morning walks

After the night of festivities, Haryana awoke to poor to very poor air quality levels, with AQI scores ranging from 200 to 344 as of 9am. The impact of firecracker burning was clearly visible, with even cities like Ambala recording an AQI of 308, while Chandigarh also crossed the 300 mark.

The day following Diwali celebrations saw a worsening of air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR, with the air quality plummeting to the 'very poor' category. A thick layer of toxic smog enveloped the region, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). As of 7:30 a.m. the capital's average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 361. In most parts of Delhi, AQI levels ranged from 300 to over 400, posing significant health risks.

The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) reported over 300 fire-related incidents on Diwali, with no life-threatening cases, an official said on Friday.

The Air Quality Index of Anand Vihar is 396 in the 'Very Poor' category as per the CPCB.

A dense smog layer blanketed several parts of Delhi, the day after Diwali, deteriorating the city's air quality to the 'very poor' category as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In most areas of the capital, the Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassed 350, heightening health concerns for residents.

The continuous bursting of firecrackers enveloped Delhi in thick smoke on Thursday, intensifying noise pollution and lowering visibility as people ignored the firecracker ban to celebrate Diwali. The city's air quality fell to the "very poor" range, with an AQI of 330 by 10 pm.

Areas like Anand Vihar registered "severe" AQI levels, with PM2.5 concentrations spiking, posing serious respiratory health risks.

Unlike last Diwali, when clear skies and favorable conditions held the AQI at 218, this year's festivities have plunged Delhi back into severe pollution levels, worsened by adverse weather, stubble burning, and vehicle emissions.

The air quality at most of the city's 40 monitoring stations stayed in the "very poor" range, with Anand Vihar and RK Puram recording the highest AQI levels at 395, according to SAFAR-INDIA

Mumbai's air quality index (AQI) stood at 133 around 7 am, placing it in the "poor" category.

Real-time data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) shows that Delhi's air quality index (AQI) climbed to 359 by 6:30 am, categorized as "very poor." On Diwali morning, the AQI had been recorded at 328.