BOOM

Trending Searches

    SUPPORT
    BOOM

    Trending News

      • Fact Check 
        • Fast Check
        • Politics
        • Business
        • Entertainment
        • Social
        • Sports
        • World
      • Law
      • Explainers
      • News 
        • All News
      • Decode 
        • Impact
        • Scamcheck
        • Life
        • Voices
      • Media Buddhi 
        • Digital Buddhi
        • Senior Citizens
        • Videos
      • Web Stories
      • BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos 
        • Facts Neeti
      • Home-icon
        Home
      • About Us-icon
        About Us
      • Authors-icon
        Authors
      • Team-icon
        Team
      • Careers-icon
        Careers
      • Internship-icon
        Internship
      • Contact Us-icon
        Contact Us
      • Methodology-icon
        Methodology
      • Correction Policy-icon
        Correction Policy
      • Non-Partnership Policy-icon
        Non-Partnership Policy
      • Cookie Policy-icon
        Cookie Policy
      • Grievance Redressal-icon
        Grievance Redressal
      • Republishing Guidelines-icon
        Republishing Guidelines
      • Fact Check-icon
        Fact Check
        Fast Check
        Politics
        Business
        Entertainment
        Social
        Sports
        World
      • Law-icon
        Law
      • Explainers-icon
        Explainers
      • News-icon
        News
        All News
      • Decode-icon
        Decode
        Impact
        Scamcheck
        Life
        Voices
      • Media Buddhi-icon
        Media Buddhi
        Digital Buddhi
        Senior Citizens
        Videos
      • Web Stories-icon
        Web Stories
      • BOOM Research-icon
        BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs-icon
        BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker-icon
        Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos-icon
        Videos
        Facts Neeti
      Trending Tags
      TRENDING
      • #Operation Sindoor
      • #Pahalgam Terror Attack
      • #Narendra Modi
      • #Rahul Gandhi
      • #Waqf Amendment Bill
      • #Arvind Kejriwal
      • #Deepfake
      • #Artificial Intelligence
      • Home
      • Explainers
      • What Delhi's Air Pollution Looked...
      Explainers

      What Delhi's Air Pollution Looked Like During Diwali 2016: A Fact File

      With the SC ban on firecrackers in Delhi during Diwali, BOOM looks back at Diwali 2016. Air quality of Delhi had deteriorated with record high PM 2.5 levels

      By - Sneha |
      Published -  16 Oct 2017 11:14 AM IST
    • Boomlive

      India's Supreme Court passed an order on October 9, 2017 prohibiting the sale of firecrackers till the end of the Diwali season (November 1) in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

      The court said it wanted to observe the effect of a firecracker-free Diwali on pollution levels in the city. The apex court has refrained from relaxing its order despite being accused of being insensitive to sentiments of many Hindus and also despite appeals from the trader community.

      In 2016, post Diwali, the air quality of the national capital deteriorated severely and the city was covered with toxic smog. The Supreme Court stepped in imposing a ban on the sale of fire crackers in November 2016.

      However, the court relaxed its order on September 12, 2017 only to be reversed on October 9th, days ahead of Diwali this year.

      What happened to air quality in Delhi during the Diwali season in 2016

      Air quality had deteriorated at an alarming rate as PM 2.5 levels hit record high in several parts of the city.

      PM 2.5 are particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers found in the air. These microscopic solid particles and liquid droplets upon inhalation can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract and lungs increasing the risks cardiopulmonary diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and can even lead to a stroke.

      The prescribed standard for 24 hour average PM 2.5 level in the air is 60 μg/m3 as set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India's pollution watchdog. This is much higher than the 25 μg/m3 standard set by the World Health Organisation (μg/m3 refers to micrograms per cubic metre).

      On the day of Diwali, PM 2.5 levels in Delhi had crossed severe levels. (see the definition of severe, below)

      Air Quality Index (AQI) Category for PM 2.5 concentrations

      Source : CPCB

      Here's what air pollution looked like in eight locations across Delhi-NCR a week before Diwali, on Diwali day and a week after the festival in 2016.

      PM 2.5 levels in 8 locations of Delhi – NCR (μg/m3 for 24 hours average)

      Source : CPCB

      At Punjabi Marg in west Delhi, PM 2.5 level was already 2 times higher than the prescribed standard of 60 μg/m3. On Diwali day PM 2.5 level rose to 7 times the prescribed standard which soared to 13 times, a week after Diwali.

      At R K Puram in south Delhi, PM 2.5 level was 2.5 times higher a week before Diwali, 5 times on Diwali and 12 times a week after Diwali – the prescribed standard.

      At Anand Vihar in north Delhi, PM 2.5 level was 3 times higher a week before Diwali, it increased 6 times on Diwali and 14 times – the prescribed standard.

      Source : CPCB

      How was Diwali 2016 different from Diwali 2015?

      Pollution levels during Diwali was higher in 2016 than in 2015. As data from 3 locations – Punjabi Marg, R K Puram and Anand Vihar shows, PM 2.5 levels which were at comparable levels before the day of Diwali, soared in 2016 compared to 2015 post Diwali.

      Source : CPCB

      Day 1 to Day 14 in 2016 refer to Oct 24 to Nov 06. In 2015 it is Nov 05 to Nov 18.

      Source : CPCB

      Source : CPCB

      While PM 2.5 concentration in the air subsided in 2015 post Diwali, it increased alarmingly to peak levels in 2016.

      Why did this happen?

      CPCB attributed it to unfavourable meteorological conditions.

      Average wind speed on Diwali day 2016 was 1.3 metre per second while it was more than double (3.4 m/s) on Diwali day 2015.

      In 2016, the mean mixing height on Diwali day was 492 meters and 152 meters on Diwali night. The corresponding numbers for 2015 were, 590 meters 324 meters.

      Mixing height refers to the height to which suspended particles in the air rises leading to vertical mixing of the air. It depends on the atmospheric temperature. Higher the temperature, higher the mixing height and thus, higher dispersion of suspended pollutants.

      With lower wind speed and mixing height in Diwali 2016, the pollutants remained suspended near the ground escalating the condition.

      What is current pollution level in Delhi as compared to other metropolitan cities?

      Source : CPCB, Data of October 14, 2017

      While Delhi – NCR has recorded PM 2.5 concentration between ‘moderately polluted’ to ‘poor’ levels, other metropolitan cities have recorded better air quality.

      On October 14, 2017 Chennai (Location - Alandur) recorded PM 2.5 concentration of 47.08 μg/m3, Mumbai (Location Bandra) – 42.71 μg/m3 and Bangalore (Location - BTIM) – 14.72 μg/m3 , all fall under the prescribed standard of 60 μg/m3.

      Following is the real-time map of air pollution of October 14, 2017 as monitored by Berkeley Earth, an US organization that keeps track of climate change.

      (With inputs from IndiaSpend).

      Tags

      Air pollutionair quality indexDelhiDelhi NCRfeaturedfirecrackersparticulate matterSmogSupreme Court of India
      Read Full Article
      Next Story
      Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
      Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker. Please reload after ad blocker is disabled.
      X

      Subscribe to BOOM Newsletters

      👉 No spam, no paywall — but verified insights.

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe for free!

      Stay Ahead of Misinformation!

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe Now🛡️ 100% Privacy Protected | No Spam, Just Facts
      By subscribing, you agree with the Terms & conditions and Privacy Policy connected to the offer

      Thank you for subscribing!

      You’re now part of the BOOM community.

      Or, Subscribe to receive latest news via email
      Subscribed Successfully...
      Copy HTMLHTML is copied!
      There's no data to copy!