Air quality worsens in Pune post-Diwali
Air quality worsens in Pune Post-Diwali -Pune Pulse
By: Pune Pulse
November 13, 2023
Pune: The celebration of Diwali with great enthusiasm and bursting of firecrackers joy has led to a significant decline in the air quality of Pune city within a day. The air quality, which was previously categorized as medium and satisfactory for the past two days, has now worsened. On the day of Lakshmi Pujan and Naraka Chaturdashi, the concentration of fine dust particles in the city doubled, resulting in a further deterioration of the air quality.
The data has been obtained from the ‘SAFAR’ website of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). With the onset of winter, the air quality in Pune experienced a decline. The core areas of the city witnessed a deterioration in air quality, falling into the ‘very poor’ category, primarily due to an increase in the levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and fine particulate matter (PM10).
As per the information provided, Pune’s air quality was deemed satisfactory with occasional moderate levels. The city and its surrounding areas experienced moderate to heavy rainfall on Friday, but the air quality remained satisfactory on Saturday.
As per the information received, the air quality in Pune was classified as satisfactory during Lakshmi Pujan last year. However, this year, it has significantly declined to poor quality. In winter, the wind speed decreases, causing the dust particles of air pollution to settle at ground level due to the low ground temperature.
The consequence of this is a rise in pollution levels and a decline in air quality. During the winter season, it is common to experience cold, but now, with the worsening air quality, the likelihood of health issues is also on the rise. As per the SAFAR website, the air quality in Shivajinagar was classified as very poor on Sunday, while Bhumkar Chowk, Kothrud, and Nigdi areas were categorized as poor in terms of air quality.
In total, the concentration of fine dust reached 138 micrograms per cubic meter, while the number of fine dust particles measured at 86 micrograms per cubic meter. The PM2.5 level in different areas of Pune experienced a twofold increase within a day, and in certain locations, it even tripled.
