As expected, there was a sharp rise in Delhi’s air-pollution levels on the morning after Diwali. However, the situation was better than last year, when a blanket of toxic smog engulfed the city, taking air pollution levels to the "emergency category". In comparison, air quality was tagged at "very poor" on Diwali day, and "severe" on Friday evening, a day after Diwali. Ironically, this is the least hazardous situation in the past three years.
Despite this, however, many morning walkers, especially senior citizens, decided to stay away from neighbourhood parks for two days after Diwali to avoid inhaling toxic air.
VS Rawat, a senior resident of Parivar Apartments in IP Extension, said, “We spend two hours in the morning and two and a half hours in the evening at the neighbourhood park every day. We walk, do some yoga or just chat with friends and neighbours. But given the poor air quality after Diwali, we decided to stay at home for at least two days, hoping things would get better after that.”
AK Pandey, a resident of Vasundhara Enclave, however, felt this year's post-Diwali morning was "much better in comparison to last year". He said, "The Supreme Court's ban on the sale of firecrackers worked. We hope the air quality will get better in a few days.”
That said, it definitely seems like it has been a cleaner and a less noisy Diwali, if not the pollution-free festival we all hope it will be some day.
