Post-Diwali firecrackers push air quality in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad past 300; Bhosari records AQI 326

Air quality in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad deteriorated rapidly on Sunday after the fireworks set off on Diwali. The Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed 300 in several places. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) SAMEER app, the highest AQI in the twin cities was 326, recorded in Bhosari. In Pune, the highest was 310, in Dhankawadi.

At 1 pm, the average AQI in Pimpri Chinchwad was 301, while Pune's average was 288. In Pimpri Chinchwad, Savta Mali Nagar recorded an AQI of 320. It was followed by Bhumkar Nagar and Transport Nagar in Nigdi, at 305 each. Park Street in Wakad recorded 301. Thergaon stood at 291 and Gawlinagar at 256.

In Pune, the AQI was 304 at MHADA Colony and 300 in Hadapsar. Panchavati in Pashan recorded 289, the Katraj Dairy area 275 and the SPPU area 252.

Air quality was relatively better in the first few days of November. Pune's average AQI was 90 and 91 on November 1 and 2 respectively. It rose to 114 on November 3, then to 157 on November 7 and 163 on November 8. On Sunday it stood at 288.

In Pimpri Chinchwad, the deterioration over the past two days was sharper. In the earlier days, the city's average AQI had mostly stayed between 100 and 140. It rose to 211 on November 7 and 202 on November 8, then reached 301 on Sunday. The average was 93 on November 1 and 146 on November 6.

The spike came along with the large number of firecrackers burst during the Diwali celebrations. It worsened the air in many residential and commercial areas alike. The high readings at several monitoring stations show that the impact was not limited to a few pockets of the two cities.