The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Chennai has taken a severe hit following Deepavali celebrations on the night of Sunday, November 12. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality in several parts of Tamil Nadu’s capital deteriorated to ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories, as of 9 am on Monday. 

Residential areas in South Chennai such as Velachery and North Chennai’s industrial neighbourhoods such as Manali have recorded AQI levels of 322 and 329 respectively, thereby, falling under the ‘very poor’ category. These levels are also as low as Delhi’s AQI. Most other neighbourhoods have recorded over 250 AQI and have slipped to the ‘poor’ category. 

As per a Supreme Court order, only eco-friendly green firecrackers were permitted across the country, and in Chennai, residents were asked to only burst these crackers between 6 am to 7 am and 7 pm to 8 pm. However, residents didn’t pertain to this time restriction, said Chennai Corporation commissioner J Radhakrishnan.

The CPCB considers ‘poor’ AQI as levels which causes breathing discomfort to most people upon prolonged exposure while ‘very poor’ AQI as levels which can cause respiratory illness on prolonged exposure. According to reports, the government has advised people to wear masks and to refrain from strenuous activities.

As of 4pm on Diwali day, only nine cities in the country recorded good AQI while close to 50 cities slipped to the ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories, the CPCB in a statement said.

AQI, used to measure air pollution, is considered good if it is between 0 and 50, satisfactory between 51 and 100, moderate between 101 and 200, poor above 200, very poor above 300, severe above 400 and severe plus beyond 450.