Air Quality During the Diwali Festival for Four Successive Years Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown in India's Most Polluted City

27 Pages Posted: 6 Mar 2023

See all articles by Suresh Kumar

Suresh Kumar

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University

Prof. Shiv Kumar Dwivedi

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University

Abstract

This research intends to assess the variability in air quality during Diwali in four successive years 2019 to 2022 in Lucknow, India. The study was conducted in residential areas with congested traffic. The fluctuation in average levels of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and NO2 were recorded during Diwali celebrations 2019-(1.59, 1.51, 1.66 and 1.39), 2020-(1.75, 1.65, 1.24 and 1.29), 2021-(1.65, 1.56, 1.53 and 1.38) and 2022 -(1.58, 1.53, 1.45 and 1.42) times higher, respectively than Pre-Diwali (Pre-D). Similarly, in 2019-(1.21, 1.16, 0.98 and 0.98), 2020-(1.18, 1.03, 0.92 and 0.88), 2021-(1.15, 1.08, 0.99 and 0.96) and 2022-(1.59, 1.07, 1.01 and 0.98) times higher, respectively, during Post-Diwali (Post-D) in relation to Pre-D. The levels of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and NO2 were found to be (1.44, 1.21, 1.52 and 1.37)*,  (1.29, 1.12, 1.35 and 1.17)** and (1.38, 1.15, 144 and 1.31) times lower in 2020 regarding 2019*, 2021** and 2022 respectively. A substantial decline in AQI levels during Pre-D, Diwali and Post-D were found to be (23%, 21% and 30%)*, (15%, 13% and 16%)** and (20%, 16%, and 19%) in 2020 with respect to 2019*, 2021** and 2022 respectively. These significant fluctuations in air pollutants can be attributed to additional stubble fireworks episodes and adverse prevalence meteorological conditions during 2019, 2021 and 2022, however, controlled firecrackers and restricted anthropogenic activities due to a long-term complete nationwide lockdown in 2020. Such elevated levels of air quality during Diwali occasions have serious health consequences on human health.

Keywords: PM10 and PM2.5, SOX and NOX, AQI, Diwali, Restricted Anthropogenic Activities

Suggested Citation

Kumar, Suresh and Dwivedi, Prof. Shiv Kumar, Air Quality During the Diwali Festival for Four Successive Years Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown in India's Most Polluted City. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4380028 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4380028

Suresh Kumar (Contact Author)

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University ( email )

India

Prof. Shiv Kumar Dwivedi

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University ( email )

India

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