Bhubaneswar: Air quality in any Indian city is bound to deteriorate on Diwali night, whatever be the restrictions imposed by local authorities.
Diwali 2026 was no different on Sunday.
However, Bhubaneswar was among the worst cities in terms of air quality.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the Odisha capital crossed the 1,000 mark to reach 1,091 at 9 pm, according to data available on AQI.in. Bhubaneswar’s AQI was categorised as ‘hazardous’, which translated to dangerously high pollution levels, life-threatening health risks with prolonged exposure, according to AQI.in.
At 9.30 pm, the AQI dipped further to 1,254 making it the third-worst city.
According to AQI.in, the PM2.5 concentration in Bhubaneswar was at 622 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m³), while PM10 levels reached 750 μg/m³ at 9 pm.
Bursting of firecrackers in Bhubaneswar and other Odisha cities was officially allowed by the administration and Odisha State Pollution Control Board only between 7 pm and 8 pm on Sunday, but revellers don’t seem to have paid heed to the instructions.
Chennai (1,280 AQI) and Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar (1,259) were the only cities to perform worse than Bhubaneswar.
Interestingly, Delhi recorded an AQI of 720 at 9 pm. The Indian Capital has been grappling with severe air pollution, with GRAP 3 curbs being imposed.
