Air pollution to be at its peak during Diwali: Met department

Pollution level on Diwali to be at an all-time high!

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Although it's the happy and auspicious occasion of Diwali and everyone is in a celebratory mood, it's bad news for the environment.

The meteorological department has cautioned that pollution level during Diwali night is expected to be "severe" due to bursting of firecrackers and advised those persons with heart and lung diseases to stay indoors.

Hours of peak pollution will include the intermittent night of November 11 and 12 with the night and early morning being the time when air quality will be at its worst in the Capital and November 12-13 is expected to witness dense haze formation.

According to NDTV, SAFAR's Project In-charge, Gurfan Beig, said, “Winter is now set and temperature during Diwali-2015 is going to be colder as compared to last year's Diwali-2014 which was in October. There is enough moisture in the air and atmospheric holding capacity is quite high for particles emitting from firecrackers. In all likelihood, air quality during Diwali 2015 is going to be inferior to that of Diwali 2014 owing to cooler temperature and downward shift of inversion layer.”

SAFAR has observed that this may, in turn, increase the cooling rate further and under this condition particles emitting from firework will sit on water droplets and multiply it resulting in more particles in suspended air itself.

According to The Hindu, SAFAR scientists explained that the three-day forecast is made out considering that the amount of firecrackers burnt are same as last year. “However, if there is thunderstorm and shower on 11th Nov — whose probability is less —air quality may slightly improve.