Post-Diwali pollution: Gopal Rai calls for review meet amid smog, toxic air

Delhi pollution update: Gopal Rai, the Environment Minister of Delhi, on Monday has called for a pollution review meeting with the Environment Department officials at the Delhi Secretariat. This comes as parts of Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) were enveloped in a thick shroud of smog and visibility was down to a couple hundred metres, news agency ANI reported on Monday.

"We have called a meeting of the Environment Department at 12 pm today to analyse the current situation. We will take an action after it," he said. Earlier in the day, Rai attributed the rise in pollution levels to the bursting of firecrackers in the national capital. He further blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the air pollution situation. 

"The only reason why the level of pollution has increased today is because of burning of firecrackers. Even after the order of the Supreme Court, BJP does not want to fulfill its responsibility, it is unfortunate... BJP wanted firecrackers to be burnt and the police is with BJP in all three states (Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh)...," the Delhi minister noted. 

Residents of Delhi-NCR burst crackers despite appalling pollution levels and the Supreme Court's ban on the same. Due to this, many parts of Delhi-NCR witnessed hazy skies and toxic air. On Diwali day, Delhi recorded its best air quality in seven years as the average air quality index (AQI) stood at 218. 

Towards the evening, Delhi's air started becoming toxic due to widespread usage of firecrackers. Air quality index breached the 900 mark in many parts of the national capital such as the India Gate area, Major Dhyan Chand Stadium and Pusa Road. The AQI level stood at 999 at the India Gate area.

Major Dhyan Chand Stadium logged an AQI of 999 in the morning which later dropped to 553. Pusa Road recorded an AQI of 970 while the Anand Vihar area recorded an AQI of 849. Not only this, haze also engulfed the majestic Taj Mahal and the monument could hardly be seen. 

The situation was not different in Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow as the Lalbagh area recorded an AQI of 292 whereas the Kendriya Vidyalaya area logged an AQI of 248. Kanpur also reported thick smog a day after Diwali celebrations. 

(With ANI inputs)