Air Quality Index sky-rockets as Ahmedabad celebrates an unbarred Diwali

The city registered concerning levels of air quality index (AQI) through the Diwali days. Authorities in the city seemed unable to regulate the norms standardised by the Supreme court, which had banned any non-green firecrackers.

Ahmedabad’s AQI on the rise

Ahmedabad’s AQI has consistently risen, with all the days of November remaining 'moderate' at 150 or above.

The local authorities issued a regulatory notice, allowing the bursting of crackers only until 10 p.m. However, this rule was widely unfollowed, and the firecracker sounds echoed in the city late past midnight as well.

“Firecracker hubs” in the city

People were having a field day on the city’s roads and grounds as the revellers flocked to these places to burst their crackers.

A roadblock was caused as people burst crackers on the roads of Ahmedabad’s Gota area. Public grounds in areas like Memnagar and Shivranjani saw a horde of people bursting crackers.

People in the Bopal-Shilaj areas burst crackers past midnight as well.

Repercussions of unbarred cracker bursting

Children and senior citizens are the first to suffer due to the increased decibel levels in the city. Alongside open grounds, firecrackers were burst near residential areas as well as hospitals, contrary to the apex court's order.

Following the day-long firecracker bursting, the city’s AQI deteriorated drastically to 166. Vatva GIDC was the worst hit with an AQI of 196, followed by 171 in Maninagar, 168 in Rakhial and Gyaspur, 166 in Chandkheda, 165 in Satellite, and 163 in Shahibaug areas.

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