New Delhi air hits hazardous levels after Diwali fireworks
Air pollution in parts of New Delhi surged to more than 58 times the WHO recommended daily limit on Monday, 9 Nov, after Diwali fireworks. Monitor data cited by IQAir put PM2.5 at 879 micrograms per cubic metre in the Mandir Marg locality. Visibility fell as grey haze covered streets and high-rises. The Supreme Court had allowed only approved green firecrackers for three-hour windows, but the restrictions were widely ignored, according to DW. Neighbouring cities also recorded high readings on Monday morning.
Key facts
- Secondary particles formed in the atmosphere make up 27 per cent of Delhi's winter pollution, the largest share.
- Industry, including coal-fired power plants, contributes about 9 per cent of the city's winter pollution.
- Crop-residue fires in Punjab and Haryana send smoke toward New Delhi during cooler winter weather.
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Why it matters
Winter smog in the Indian capital, home to more than 30 million people, is linked to large numbers of deaths each year.
What changed
First published from DW, Scroll.in, ABC News (US), Al Jazeera English and Bangkok Post