After Delhi, now Kolkata! Another city has been hit by pollution. Diwali celebrations have started across the country. Since long before that, Use of too much lights, firecrackers and loudspeakers, processions, incomparable jams of vehicles,spread a flood of joy in different parts of India. In the midst of this, the pollution monster is lurking. After Delhi, the pollution level has started increasing in Kolkata. After Diwali, Kolkata became the 4th most polluted city in the world.
The current Kolkata Air Quality Index (AQI) is at an unhealthy level of 190 with real-time air pollution on Monday at 10 PM.
A haze covered Kolkata on Monday as the air quality worsened with the AQI ranging from poor to very poor. The situation started to deteriorate from Saturday night. Burning of crop residues in nearby districts and celebrations with firecrackers ahead of Kalipuja worsened the situation, state control pollution board officials said.
Agency reported, Air quality Index(AQI) was above 250 at Ballygunge in the city, Victoria Memorial, Jadavpur, Fort William and Ghusuri in neighboring Howrah district on Sunday at the day of Diwali on Sunday.
Chennai was third with an AQI of 115 and Mumbai was fourth with 90. An AQI between is considered 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’, so,now Kolkata’s is AQI was in poor condition at the day of Diwali.
This situation was not only caused by the bursting of firecrackers but also weather conditions during the beginning of winter when small particulate remains in the air with the presence of fog and smoke. According to CPCB data, Kolkata’s AQI has been rising sharply for the past few days as winter gets into. Air quality has changed from “moderate” to “poor” between November 5 and 12.
Concerns
The headquarters of West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) is Paribesh Bhavan. The control room is conducting drone surveillance and mobile teams are also operating at various hotspots in the city and surrounding areas.
A non-governmental agency, the Switch On Foundation, has been active in this regard. Conducted a survey of two green firecracker markets in Kolkata’s Shahid Minar and Tala Park and some local vendors in Bhawanipur, which showed that despite the administration’s regulations and fines for illegal firecracker activities, there is a lack of public awareness.
Environmentalist Sam Ghosh recommended to sprinkle water on plants in the evening to reduce the effect of pollution. It can cause breathing problems. If precautions are not taken immediately, it will later be very harmful for sensitive hearted persons.
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