A drop in cracker sales and mass exodus from the city to holiday destinations was not enough to bring down air pollution levels in the city during Deepavali. Data from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) shows an increase in particulate matter in nine out of 12 monitoring stations as compared to regular days.
However, compared to 2014, there is a marginal decrease in 10 out of the 12 monitoring stations. In 2015, rain on the first and second days of Deepavali caused pollution levels to reduce significantly.
S.G. Halli, Mysuru Road, Central Silk Board, Whitefield Industrial Area, KHB Industrial Area, Yelahanka, Kajisonnenahalli, Yeshwantpur and Victoria Hospital were among the areas that recorded an increase in PM10 (particles less than or equal to 10 micrometers in diameter. They are so small that they can get into the lungs, potentially causing serious health problems) levels.
The national limit for PM10 is 100, which was breached on normal days during October at seven locations out of 12. The KHB Industrial Area in Yelahanka saw the maximum increase of 75 per cent with PM10 levels reaching 175 on October 29,30 and 31.
The monitoring stations at City Railway Station, KSPCB Peenya and Fortis Hospital in Nagarbhavi, however, saw a reduction in particulate matter levels with Nagarbhavi recording the maximum reduction from 190 to 120 during Deepavali.
Last year, rainfall during the festival had contributed to reduced pollution readings. Comparing this years results to 2014, there has been a decrease in PM10 levels in 10 stations out of 12, data gathered by the KSPCB shows.
Noise levels reduced at 10 monitoring stations by 3.6 per cent from 2014 to 2015 and by 0.9 per cent from 2015 to 2016. This year, the highest increase in noise levels at night on Deepavali days was measured in S.G. Halli, where levels rose by 38.2 per cent, and in Domlur during daytime where the levels increased by 3.1 per cent.
