Sirsa Records India's Worst Air Quality During Diwali
Sirsa became India's most polluted city on Wednesday with an AQI of 369 due to Diwali firecrackers and drifting smoke from Punjab.
Sirsa, Haryana, recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 369 on Wednesday, making it the most polluted city in India. The Central Pollution Control Board identified other cities with very poor air quality, including Hisar, Panchgaon, and Delhi, the latter of which recorded an AQI of 313.
Officials attributed the pollution spike in Sirsa to the extensive use of firecrackers during Diwali, a lack of rainfall, and smoke drifting from Punjab. While the Central Pollution Control Board noted that stubble-burning incidents in Sirsa declined from 49 cases last year to 11 this season, the air quality has led to increased reports of eye irritation and respiratory issues among residents.
Digvijay Chautala, a leader of the Jannayak Janta Party, criticized the government on social media regarding the crisis. He sarcastically referred to the situation as "Happy Gas Chamber Day" while questioning the causes of the pollution.
