After Laxmi Puja celebrations this Diwali, a dense haze enveloped most parts of Pune in the wee hours of Monday. Visibility was significantly reduced to around 100 metres and air quality slipped from ‘moderate’ to the ‘poor’ category.
“The dense haze was caused by cold weather conditions and high humidity. Coupled with bursting of firecrackers on Diwali, a hazy atmosphere prevailed,” scientists at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology said.
Despite restrictions on firecrackers imposed by Supreme Court and Bombay HC, there was widespread use of firecrackers across the city, which also recorded high noise levels.
“Pune residents have more awareness than other cities regarding ill-effects of bursting firecrackers. Hence it is shameful that the city recorded poor air quality and high noise levels,” Nitin Shinde, sub-regional officer, Pune zone of MPCB, told The Indian Express.
“We need to actively work together to help reduce air and noise pollution which damage our health,” Shinde urged.
The pollution control body monitored noise levels at 11 locations – Shivaji Nagar (Sakhar Sankul), Karve Road (Nal Stop), Satara Road (City Pride) Swargate, Yerawada (Mental hospital/Jail Road), Khadki (Khadki Bazar), Shaniwarwada, Laxmi Road, Saras Baug, Aundh Gaon and University Road —on November 12— and recorded an average of 85-88 decibel. The levels at night(9 -10 pm) shot up as high as 99 decibel according to MPCB data.
Air quality was monitored across five locations in the city–Jagtap Dairy chowk (Pimpale Nilakh), Dange chowk, Katraj Dairy chowk (Pune-Satara Road), Pune Pimpri Rose Garden, and Pune University. While two locations–Pune University and Katraj Dairy Chowk–reported moderate air quality, poor levels were reported by the other three locations, according to MPCB data.
As per Air Quality Index (AQI) monitoring chart from the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), air quality is termed poor when the reading value is between 201 and 300. So far, Pune was in the moderate category but on Diwali it slipped to ‘poor’, as per MPCB. Pune Pimpri Rose Garden recorded and AQI of 247, Dange Chowk was 259 and Jagtap Dairy was 264.
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The possible health impacts, as per the monitoring body, includes breathing discomfort in most people following prolonged exposure.
When contacted, Dr Parag Khatavkar, consultant pulmonologist with KEM hospital, said the number of patients with upper respiratory tract infections has spiked. “Also, chronic poor air quality has exacerbated symptoms of patients with chronic respiratory ailments like asthma and COPD,” he added.
Dr Amit Dravid, infectious diseases specialist at Nobel Hospital, said changing weather conditions and increasing air pollution even prior to Diwali led to a rise in cases of respiratory illnesses. “Air pollution has even exacerbated symptoms in patients with cold, cough and fever with some being now admitted to intensive care for treating viral pneumonia.”
