Smoke takes away festive sheen as Indiranagar most polluted on Diwali

LUCKNOW: The pollution levels in Indiranagar and Vikasnagar skyrocketed this Diwali, making them the most polluted areas of the city. Indiranagar recorded the highest PM10 concentration of 1285.5 per cubic meters of air, which was 14 times higher than the safe limits.

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Vikasnagar was found to be most polluted with PM2.5 concentration of 879.8 per cubic metre of air, around 15 times higher than the permissible limits.

These facts were revealed in the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research’s assessment of the impact of fireworks on environment during this year’s Diwali.

The air pollution levels in nine localities of the city — four residential and commercial each and one industrial — saw more than double increase this Diwali as compared to the last year.

The scientific institute monitored pollution levels on Diwali from 6pm on November 7 till 6am on November 8 in Aliganj, Vikasnagar, Indiranagar, Gomtinagar, Charbagh, Alambagh, Aminabad, Chowk and Amausi.

For the first time in the past three years, the PM10 concentration (the safe limit for which is 100) had crossed the hazardous pollution levels of 1,000 at four locations in the city, while three locations touched the alarming 1,000 mark.

The most polluted area, Indiranagar, was followed closely by Vikasnagar, Aliganj and Aminabad with PM10 levels of 1123.2, 1057.1and 1050.1, respectively. While in the last two years, the air pollution levels in these localities were recorded in the range of 600 to 800.

Charbagh, Gomtinagar and Alambagh were just a few units behind, touching the ‘very severe’ levels with PM 10 levels recorded at 991.8,996.4 and 953.2, respectively.

The lowest pollution levels were recorded in Amausi and Chowk — 640.7 and 807.6 per cubic metre of air, respectively, which was still 6 and 8 times more than the dangerous levels PM2.5, a particulate matter which is thinner than a hair strand but more hazardous, was around 14 times more than safe limits in three locations. Vikasnagar, the most polluted with PM2.5 concentration, was followed by Aminabad and Indiranagar with 857.1 and 801.9 per cubic metre of air. It was followed by Aliganj, Alambagh. Gomtinagar, Chowk and Amausi.

“As the vehicular movement is significantly lower on Diwali night, bursting of crackers is a major factor behind the high air pollution levels. The low temperatures didn’t allow the particulate matter to disperse but the bursting of firecrackers doubled air pollution levels in almost all the locations,” said IITR senior scientist SC Barman who led the air pollution assessment.