Gupta exhorted people to celebrate the festival in traditional ways by lighting diyas, making rangoli and sharing sweets.
File Photo: IANS
After the national capital woke up to a hazy morning due to pollution, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta asked the people of Delhi to save the city from pollution by using only green firecrackers during Diwali.
Gupta exhorted people to celebrate the festival in traditional ways by lighting diyas, making rangoli and sharing sweets.
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In a message to the people of Delhi, she said that Diwali, the festival of lights, should be celebrated in an atmosphere of peace and harmony. “On this festival of lights, my heart is filled with joy and happiness for all of you,” she said.
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The national capital and its adjoining regions recorded ‘very poor’ air quality on Monday, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 333 on the morning of Diwali. With pollution levels rising, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) enforced Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the NCR on Sunday evening. “The AQI in Delhi has been on an upward trend since morning, touching 296 at 4 pm and 302 at 7 pm,” the CAQM said in a statement.
Despite the city’s overall AQI reading of 333, several localities slipped into the ‘severe’ category. According to real-time data from the World Air Quality Index Project (AQICN), Anand Vihar reported an AQI of 464, while Rohini and Satyawati College recorded 403 and 432, respectively.
Other key areas such as ITO (287), Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium (276), Burari Crossing (266), Patparganj (252), and ITI Shahdara (247) reported ‘very poor’ air quality, reflecting the worsening pollution levels across Delhi.
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