Buxar’s air quality entered the severe category on Monday, a day after Diwali, with the Air Quality Index crossing 400 amid a reported spike in pollution linked to extensive firecracker use. The deterioration has raised immediate health concerns for children, older residents and people with respiratory or cardiac conditions.
Air quality data cited in the report showed Buxar recording an AQI above 400, with one monitoring platform reporting a peak reading of 441. The pollution increase followed widespread firecracker bursting, which released smoke, dust and other pollutants into the atmosphere.
Chest specialist Dr Shailesh Kumar Srivastava said firecrackers emit fine particulate matter, including PM2.5 and PM10. These particles can penetrate deep into the respiratory system and cause breathing difficulties, he said. Firecrackers also release gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which can further worsen air pollution and affect lung health.
Dr Srivastava warned that prolonged exposure to the polluted air could aggravate asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other respiratory illnesses. Children and senior citizens are particularly vulnerable, while people with existing lung or heart conditions may face more serious complications.
An AQI reading above 400 falls in the severe category and can pose serious health risks even to otherwise healthy people. The report advised residents to reduce outdoor exposure, particularly during the morning hours when pollution levels may remain high.
The deterioration was reported across several Bihar cities, although Buxar recorded the highest reading among the locations listed. Bettiah recorded an AQI of 364, followed by Motihari at 357, Sasaram and Siwan at 326 each, Muzaffarpur at 325, Darbhanga at 300 and Patna at 248.
Environmental expert Raj Kumar Jha expressed concern about rising firecracker-related pollution and urged parents to discourage children from bursting crackers. He said public participation would be essential to tackle air pollution, adding that administrative measures alone would not be sufficient unless residents adopted more environment-friendly practices during festivals and other celebrations.
