New Delhi:

The air quality in Delhi worsened this morning as people defied a ban on firecrackers during Diwali celebrations on Thursday.

The relentless bursting of firecrackers caused severe noise pollution and blanketed the national capital in dense smoke with residents flouting the restrictions till late at night.

#WATCH | Delhi skyline on #Diwali shows the city illuminated in colourful lights. pic.twitter.com/BRvtW3wsRz

— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2024

According to the real-time data provided by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) soared to 359 at 6:30 am, which falls under the “very poor” category. The AQI on the morning of Diwali was at 328.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe, and above 450 severe-plus.

The AQI level in most of the 40 monitoring stations in the city remained in the “very poor” category with Anand Vihar and RK Puram reporting the worst air quality index of 395.

#WATCH | Delhi: A thin layer of smog engulfs the National Capital as the air quality continues to deteriorate.

As per the CPCB, the AQI of the area is 317, in the ‘very poor’ category.

(Visuals from India Gate) pic.twitter.com/nKvFMOPZrd

— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2024

Burari Crossing (394), Sonia Vihar (392), Punjabi Bagh (391), North Campus (390), Bawana (388), Jahangirpuri (387), Rohini (385), Ashok Vihar (384), and Nehru Nagar (381) were some other places with the “very poor” air quality

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, has said that the air quality in the national capital is likely to be in the “very poor” category (AQI 300 to 400) on Friday.

ALSO READ | Delhi Air Pollution, Ahead Of Winter, Raises Respiratory Illness By 15%

On Diwali eve, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced that 377 teams were formed to enforce the ban on firecrackers across the capital. A senior Delhi Police officer had said all deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) were asked to form dedicated teams to ensure that firecrackers are not burst in their respective districts.

Last year, the “festival of lights” was celebrated on November 12 and Delhi recorded its best air quality on Diwali day in eight years, with the average AQI at 218.

Stubble burning or farm fires in neighbouring Haryana and Punjab, especially during the post-harvest season of October and November, are also often blamed for the rise in pollution levels in Delhi.

ALSO READ | Smog Engulfs Delhi-NCR, Toxic Foam Blankets Yamuna River As Winter Approaches

The capital has been breathing hazardous air quality for the past few weeks, prompting authorities to impose stage two of the GRAP or the Graded Response Action Plan last week.

Raipur, Chattisgarh:

The Chhattisgarh government has issued an advisory allowing the bursting of firecrackers for two hours on the occasion of Diwali, Chhath, Guruparva, Christmas and New Year. The time windows for Diwali would be between 8 pm and 10 pm.

Firecrackers are burst with great pomp and show during the festivals, especially Diwali, but in view of the increasing pollution in the environment, the Housing and Transport Department of Chhattisgarh has issued guidelines regarding the burning of firecrackers.

As per the issued guidelines, the duration for exploding firecrackers on Diwali and Guru Parv is from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm, for Chhath Puja, the timings are from 6 am to 8 am and on New Year and Christmas, timings are from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am, an official statement said.

The other guidelines for the burning of firecrackers in the state include the sale of green firecrackers by licensed traders that generate less pollution.

The guidelines also added that only those firecrackers can be sold whose sound level is within the prescribed range. The sale, use and manufacture of series crackers or sticks is prohibited.

Instructions have also been given to cancel the license of such manufacturers of firecrackers, who have used lithium, arsenic, antimony, lead and mercury in firecrackers. The sale of firecrackers will be prohibited on online websites, as per the guidelines.

In a bid to curb air pollution during winter, the Chhattisgarh Environmental Conservation Board (CECB) has banned the bursting of crackers from December 1 to January 31 in six major cities of the state, including Raipur.

A department official said that the ban on firecrackers has been imposed to reduce air pollution and to keep the environment clean and healthy during the winter season.

The ban on firecrackers has been enforced in Raipur, Bilaspur, Bhilai, Durg, Raigarh and Korba.

The Supreme Court dismissed the petition of the firecracker manufacturers seeking permission to manufacture firecrackers using barium nitrate and allowed the bursting of firecrackers only for 2 hours on Diwali.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)