📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Janak Bhatta
Weather
Post-Diwali smog pushes AQI above 300 in Alwar, Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan
✍️ The Hawk
🗓 09 Nov 2026, 07:31 PM
👁 21
Air quality in Rajasthan’s Alwar and Sri Ganganagar has deteriorated sharply after Diwali, with the AQI soaring past 300, indicating hazardous pollution levels.
The days following Diwali have seen a steep rise in particulate matter across Rajasthan, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Alwar and Sri Ganganagar crossing the 300 mark. Such a reading places the air in the "hazardous" category, warning of severe health risks for the general public.
Local monitoring stations attribute the spike to a combination of firecracker residue, crop residue burning in surrounding regions, and stagnant atmospheric conditions that trap pollutants near the ground. Temperatures have remained low, limiting vertical air movement and allowing smoke to linger.
Health officials have issued advisories urging residents, especially children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments, to limit outdoor activities and use masks when stepping outside. The state pollution control board is increasing real‑time monitoring and has asked municipal authorities to enforce stricter controls on firecracker sales and open burning.
Authorities are also coordinating with neighboring states to curb cross‑border smoke influx and are preparing to deploy additional air‑purifying units in affected districts if the situation worsens.
Local monitoring stations attribute the spike to a combination of firecracker residue, crop residue burning in surrounding regions, and stagnant atmospheric conditions that trap pollutants near the ground. Temperatures have remained low, limiting vertical air movement and allowing smoke to linger.
Health officials have issued advisories urging residents, especially children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments, to limit outdoor activities and use masks when stepping outside. The state pollution control board is increasing real‑time monitoring and has asked municipal authorities to enforce stricter controls on firecracker sales and open burning.
Authorities are also coordinating with neighboring states to curb cross‑border smoke influx and are preparing to deploy additional air‑purifying units in affected districts if the situation worsens.