Toxic smog blanketed India's capital early Sunday after firecrackers were set off throughout the night to mark the country's biggest annual festival Diwali despite a ban, further worsening the city's air quality levels.

India's environmental court had imposed a ban to stop millions of the explosives being lighted up to mark the Hindu Festival of Light, stressing that residents were already reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the pollution crisis that arises every winter.

But the sound of firecrackers regularly was heard in the city of 20 million people late Saturday, and sporadically on Sunday.

"The overall air quality of Delhi is in the Severe category as of today morning," the state-run System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said Sunday.

"Significant local additional emissions (probably firecracker related) during yesterday night... build up stubble fire-related pollutant concentrations."

But the meteorological body added that wind speeds in the capital were picking up on Sunday, helping to clear the choking air, while "isolated scattered rainfall" later in the day was also expected.

Delhi is infamous as having some of the world's dirtiest air, with cracker smoke mingling with car exhaust, factory emissions, construction dust and crop stubble burning from nearby states turning the winter air into a putrid grey-yellow.

Scientists have also been warning that this year's Diwali celebrations have increased health risks amid crowding at markets ahead of the festival, the cold and the air pollution, which studies have linked to increased coronavirus deaths.

The metropolis has been recording higher-than-usual daily rises in new cases, and reported 7,340 fresh infections late Saturday.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to meet with national Home Minister Amit Shah later Sunday to ask for more beds to cope with the spike, local media reported.

Related Links
Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Study reveals how plastic pollution travels everywhere
Princeton NJ (SPX) Nov 16, 2020
Plastic pollution is ubiquitous today, with microplastic particles from disposable goods found in natural environments throughout the globe, including Antarctica. But how those particles move through and accumulate in the environment is poorly understood. Now a Princeton University study has revealed the mechanism by which microplastics, like Styrofoam, and particulate pollutants are carried long distances through soil and other porous media, with implications for preventing the spread and accumulation ... read more