NEW DELHI, Nov 15, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Toxic smog blanketed India’s capital
early Sunday after firecrackers were set off throughout the night to mark the
country’s biggest annual festival Diwali despite a ban, further worsening the
city’s air quality levels.
India’s environmental court had imposed a ban to stop millions of the
explosives being lighted up to mark the Hindu Festival of Light, stressing
that residents were already reeling from the impact of the coronavirus
pandemic and the pollution crisis that arises every winter.
But the sound of firecrackers regularly was heard in the city of 20 million
people late Saturday, and sporadically on Sunday.
“The overall air quality of Delhi is in the Severe category as of today
morning,” the state-run System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and
Research (SAFAR) said Sunday.
“Significant local additional emissions (probably firecracker related)
during yesterday night… build up stubble fire-related pollutant
concentrations.”
But the meteorological body added that wind speeds in the capital were
picking up on Sunday, helping to clear the choking air, while “isolated
scattered rainfall” later in the day was also expected.
Delhi is infamous as having some of the world’s dirtiest air, with cracker
smoke mingling with car exhaust, factory emissions, construction dust and
crop stubble burning from nearby states turning the winter air into a putrid
grey-yellow.
Scientists have also been warning that this year’s Diwali celebrations have
increased health risks amid crowding at markets ahead of the festival, the
cold and the air pollution, which studies have linked to increased
coronavirus deaths.
The metropolis has been recording higher-than-usual daily rises in new
cases, and reported 7,340 fresh infections late Saturday.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to meet with national Home
Minister Amit Shah later Sunday to ask for more beds to cope with the spike,
local media reported.