Firecrackers: Air quality dips in Bengaluru on October 31 night

Bengaluru: Air quality dipped across Bengaluru as the Thursday night sky was lit with firecrackers on the first day of the Deepavali festival.

Air quality index (AQI) data from 13 monitoring stations in Bengaluru showed that compared to the corresponding day and time last week, Thursday night saw 10 stations showing the quality at “moderate” level indicating “breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases.”

While the average level of deadly particulate matter (PM) 2.5 was higher compared to the other days, the Central Pollution Control Board’s dashboard clearly showed the spikes between 9 pm and 10 pm on Thursday night.

For instance, at 10 pm, the AQI in BTM layout went up from 48 to 143, with the PM 2.5 surging to a maximum of 313 microgram per cubic metre of air. The area’s PM 2.5 on other days mostly stayed around 70. The PM 10 levels hit 433 at 10 pm as against the maximum of 169 at the same time on October 24.

The monitoring station at Jayanagar 5th Block showed the AQI in the area as 113, compared to 59 last Thursday night. The PM 2.5 levels hit the maximum of 397 microgram per cubic metre with the average number staying above 100. This was double the 190 microgram/cubic metre on October 24.

Even in areas known for high levels of pollution on all days, the levels climbed a little higher.

The Silk Board AQI was 110 compared to 102 last Thursday while in Peenya, the AQI worsened from 102 to 122. However, both areas showed a remarkable increase in particles. For instance, the PM 2.5 levels in Peenya jumped from an average of 45 microgram/cubic metre to 110 microgram per cubic metre.

The monitoring station in Hebbal put the AQI at 126, compared with 64 last Thursday. The average PM 2.5 levels had increased to 126 microgram/cubic metre from 64 microgram/cubic metre last Thursday.

Over the last few years, the government has been pushing for “green crackers” with supposedly less pollution load. However, the air quality data shows that the measure has not changed the situation on the ground. “People have been buying banned crackers from neighbouring Hosur and that will not stop. Moreover, green crackers are not the answer. Ultimately, we have to reduce the burning of crackers if we want to protect the vulnerable, especially children and aged persons,” an official said.