Pune: Air quality in Pune is expected to deteriorate on Diwali evening and pollution levels are likely to peak in the early hours of Monday, as firecracker emissions combine with unfavourable weather conditions.The projected pollution levels vary sharply across different parts of the city. Bhosari is likely to record a severe Air Quality Index (AQI) of 427.39 on Sunday.According to the Air Quality Early Warning and Decision Support System, a project of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and ministry of earth sciences, hourly PM2.5 concentrations in Pune are expected to rise to around 250 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) on Sunday. The levels could cross 300 µg/m³ between 2am and 5am on Monday, pushing the AQI into the poor category.The system’s location-wise AQI forecast for Sunday indicated considerable variation within the city. Bhosari may record an AQI of 427.39, falling in the severe category, while Kothrud (MIT) is expected to record 144.02, in the moderate category. Alandi has a forecast AQI of 99.78, in the satisfactory category.The anticipated deterioration comes amid meteorological conditions that are likely to restrict the dispersal of pollutants. Winds are expected to slow down overnight, while the minimum temperature in the city is likely to drop from 17°C to 16°C. Light winds and cooler conditions could keep smoke and particulate matter closer to the ground for longer, with firecracker emissions adding to the pollution load, said officials from the Air Quality Early Warning and Decision Support System.“Mumbai, too, is likely to witness a deterioration in air quality during the festival, with its AQI forecast to fall into the poor to very poor categories on Sunday and Monday. The highest PM2.5 concentrations are expected in the early hours of Monday, when a short-duration peak of around 360-400 µg/m³ is possible,” an official said.The weak sea breeze expected over Mumbai in the coming days, along with falling night temperatures, could further hamper the dispersal of pollutants and cause smoke to remain close to the surface.Doctors in Pune have started reporting respiratory complaints among children, particularly those with a history of asthma and allergies. Dr Siddhant Lalwani, consultant paediatric pulmonologist, sleep and allergy specialist at Bharati Hospital and Research Centre, said several children were coming in with wheezing and asthma attacks before the main Diwali celebrations. “A lot of my asthma patients are already getting sick,” he said.Exposure to firecracker smoke, particulate matter and other pollutants irritates children’s airways and increases inflammation, making them vulnerable to bouts of coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks, bronchitis and nasal allergies, he said.Dr Lalwani said, “This Diwali is worse than last Diwali. We expected cases to increase last year, but that was not the case. This time, even a few days before Diwali, we are seeing several cases. Some of my patients have burst firecrackers and subsequently fallen sick.”He cautioned against assuming that green crackers were harmless. While these are claimed to emit less smoke, they still release pollutants, he said, adding that firecrackers should be avoided altogether because of their adverse impact on children’s health.For children with respiratory conditions, staying indoors during peak firecracker activity would be preferable, Dr Lalwani said. “Keep the windows closed, switch on the AC if possible, and use an air purifier in one room at home,” he said.Dr Aparna Birajdar, consultant pulmonologist in the city, said she expected a rise in patients’ footfalls with breathing difficulties after Diwali. “Symptoms may be particularly worse in those with pre-existing asthma and COPD,” she said.She said densely populated localities, including parts of the city’s Peth areas, were particularly vulnerable because houses were closely spaced, small and often poorly ventilated. “We are seeing sporadic cases from concentrated pockets,” she said.“In small, crowded spaces where there is not enough open area, the problem is greater. People living in small, ill-ventilated houses and closely spaced buildings have nowhere to escape,” Dr Birajdar said.She also pointed to instances of firecracker activity in crowded neighbourhoods despite advisories asking people to use designated open spaces.
