Siliguri : The air quality in Siliguri deteriorated sharply on Diwali night, with the AQI climbing from 100 in the afternoon to 236 shortly after midnight as firecrackers were burst across the city. Despite govt awareness campaigns and repeated appeals by voluntary organisations, the widespread use of firecrackers resulted in a sharp spike in air pollution and hours of noise pollution. Children, senior citizens, patients and strays bore the brunt of the celebrations.
The index stood at 100 at 4.30 pm and rose marginally to 106 at 5 pm. However, it climbed sharply to 178 by 7 pm and to 196 by 9 pm. At 9.30 pm, it breached the 200 mark to reach 211, before peaking at 236 at 12.01 am on Monday. The pollution level began declining towards the early hours of Monday, with the AQI dropping to 156 at 4.30 am. It fell further to 63 by 1.30 pm before registering a marginal increase to 81 at 4 pm. The 54 stalls at the designated Kawakhali firecracker market, along with small and large shops across the city, accounted for an estimated Rs 5 crore in sales this year.
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There is a need for greater public awareness and voluntary compliance,” a senior officer of the Siliguri Police Commissionerate said. Despite so much publicity and so much effort by the administration, everything has ultimately been defeated by the irresponsibility of the public,” said environmentalist Animesh Basu . The readings reflected the sharp overnight deterioration in air quality following intensive firecracker bursting across Siliguri and its adjoining areas. The administration had, as in previous years, organised a designated firecracker market at Kawakhali to prevent the sale of prohibited and harmful sound-emitting crackers. However, the arrangement failed to prevent the alleged sale of illegal crackers in several parts of the city. Mahabirsthan, Deshbandhupara, Ghogomali, Rabindranagar, Ashighar, Pradhan Nagar, Salugara and Jhankar More were among localities where banned crackers were reportedly sold through unauthorised channels. Roads in Khalpara, Nayabazar, Gurung Basti and Milanpally were littered with cracker casings. The noise continued even around hospital premises, educational institutions and hostels. The scale of the illegal trade was also reflected in police seizures. Teams from NJP, Bhaktinagar and Siliguri Police Stations conducted raids in different areas, seizing large quantities of prohibited sound-emitting crackers and making several arrests. Despite the operations, residents felt that the administration had failed to effectively prevent the widespread bursting of banned crackers on Diwali night. “Police had been conducting regular raids and making arrests whenever information about illegal sales or violations was received. However, the action alone could not completely resolve the problem. Environmentalists also expressed concern over the lack of civic responsibility despite repeated awareness campaigns. “Firecrackers have become extremely expensive. It is practically beyond the reach of poor and lower-income families or people who are considered less educated. It is the so-called educated middle-class and affluent sections of the city that have burst the maximum number of these environmentally destructive crackers. the firecracker trade witnessed brisk business While the celebrations took a toll on the environment and public health. Download the TOI App.
AQI readings showed a steady deterioration in air quality as the evening progressed on Sunday. the situation intensified from Sunday evening, with several parts of the city and its outskirts witnessing relentless bursting of loud crackers Although sporadic bursting of crackers had started on Saturday.