Bhubaneswar: A thick blanket of smog engulfed Bhubaneswar following Diwali celebrations as the air quality levels plummeted last evening, reducing visibility to 500 metres by 9.30 pm.
The air quality in the city plunged into the “severe” category, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 657 at 7 pm. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI in the state capital was at a ‘satisfactory’ 54 at 4 pm.
Areas like Rasulgarh, Baramunda and Patia were covered with firecracker smoke and rising particulates, making it difficult for commuters to drive safely as visibility on roads dropped to barely 20 metres. The AQI reportedly shot to 756 in Laxmisagar area as residents celebrated the festival with an intense display of fireworks, flouting pollution control norms and police restrictions.
Though the Commissionerate Police had allowed a two-hour window between 7 pm and 9 pm, bursting of crackers continued well past midnight.
Local resident Sambit Parida captured the grim reality on social media, posting a series of photos from 7 pm to 9 pm, showing the rapid deterioration in the air quality, with streets shrouded in haze, a stark visual testament to the pollution spike.
At midnight, the CPCB recorded Bhubaneswar’s AQI at 122, categorised as “moderate” but teetering on the edge of concern. By early Tuesday morning, however, levels again surged dramatically. Independent trackers like AQI.in reported an AQI of 170 (“unhealthy”) with PM2.5 concentrations hitting 82 µg/m³ and PM10 at 92 µg/m³—well above the WHO’s safe daily limits of 15 µg/m³ for PM2.5 and 45 µg/m³ for PM10.
The pre-Diwali readings had already shown a troubling uptick, with pollution fluctuating between “moderate” and “poor” over the preceding week, setting the stage for the festival’s impact. According to environmentalists, this smog can trigger coughing, breathlessness, and allergies.
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