Mumbai air quality improves nearly 30% this Diwali despite fireworks
India
Mumbai breathed a bit easier this Diwali, with air quality improving by nearly 30% compared to last year.
Sunday's AQI was 132.
Noise levels during pre-Diwali testing also dropped to 93 decibels, a big change from the ear-splitting 144.9 decibels back in 2006.
Still, the evening fireworks brought back pollution concerns.
Firecrackers push Andheri PM2.5 to 597
Once the firecrackers started popping, pollution shot up fast: Andheri's PM2.5 jumped from 42 to a whopping 597 between 8pm and 10pm and Malad hit similar highs.
By Monday morning, AQI around Bandra Reclamation and Kala Nagar was 231, categorized as 'Poor.'
So while things are getting better overall, Diwali nights still remind us that cleaner celebrations matter.