Post Diwali Blues in Jaipur: Festivities Over, Smoke Chokes the Pink City

Source: Times of India 

Now that the five-day long Diwali festival has come to an end and people are back to their normal work schedules, there is something that has changed in the Jaipur city. The Diwali decorations and festive aura of the pink city has been taken over by smog and raised pollution levels.

Just have a look at this photograph showcasing aerial view of Jal Mahal Palace of Jaipur that can be seen enveloped in smog on Tuesday morning.

The air has become 3-4 times more polluted than the safe limit since last week. Especially, the post Diwali 2016 air quality at some areas in Jaipur such as Chandpole, VKI area (Vishwakarma Industrial Area) and Ajmeri Gate have recorded high levels of pollution; higher than several places in capital city Delhi including the IGI Airport, Mandir Marg, Anand Vihar, RK Puram and Punjabi Bagh areas of Delhi.

The VKI area of Jaipur is reported to have 457 ugM3 level followed by Chandpole that had 442 ugM3 level and Ajmeri Gate which had 345 ugM3 level, as recorded on October 30, 2016. The industrial units located in VKI area of Jaipur have also contributed largely to the high post Diwali pollution level. The other two areas, Chandpole and Ajmeri Gate have the highest density of population living in the city, which has resulted in great levels of post Diwali smoke and wastes.

Thick layers of smoke have been visible since Diwali at many other places in the Jaipur city as well.

According to reports on October 30, 2016, the cleanest area in the city was the Jhalana Forest area with 100 ugM3.

The particulate matter 2.5 (particles with 2.5 micrometers in diameter) of Jaipur stands at 334 micro-grams per cubic meter which is 3.4 times higher than the safe limit of 100 ugM3. Experts say that it will take up to 3-4 days more for the situation of air to get back to normal in Jaipur.

Raised pollution levels in Jaipur have also led to long queues of patients complaining of respiratory problems at city’s hospitals. Looking at the condition of the air quality in Jaipur, the Rajasthan Pollution Control Board RPCB has advised people with heart and lung diseases to avoid outdoor work.