Kolkata air quality deteriorated at two monitoring stations on Sunday ahead of Chhath Puja evening rituals, with readings at Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) and Victoria Memorial crossing 200 as fireworks raised concerns about another pollution episode.
The RBU station recorded an AQI of 236 at 6 am, rising to 253 at 11 am before easing marginally to 230 at 6 pm. Victoria Memorial recorded 218 at 6 am, climbed to 226 at 3 pm and stood at 221 at 6 pm. Both readings fall in the ‘poor’ category.
The deterioration was not confined to the two worst-affected locations. Ballygunge’s AQI increased from 140 at 6 am to 164 at 6 pm, while Salt Lake rose from 151 to 157 between 6 am and 3 pm before easing slightly to 155. Fort William recorded an increase from 124 to 129 during the day.
Jadavpur’s AQI rose from 110 at 6 am to 123 at 9 pm. Rabindra Sarobar was comparatively stable, with the index declining from 112 in the morning to 103 by 6 pm.
The readings came as the city was still dealing with the effects of Diwali and Kali Puja. Fireworks during Chhath rituals later in the day raised concern that particulate pollution could increase further, particularly as winter conditions become more favourable for pollutants to remain close to the ground.
Naba Dutta, general secretary of environmental organisation Sabuj Mancha, said the cumulative impact of successive festivals could harm Kolkata’s ambient air quality. “After Kali Puja and Diwali, Chhath fireworks can cause serious harm to the ambient air quality. Over the years, Chhath has become noisy and polluting,” Dutta said.
Environmental activist Subhas Datta also stressed the need to protect Kolkata’s vulnerable air quality, while anti-noise and environmental campaigner Somendra Mohan Ghosh expressed concern about fireworks and their potential impact.
The immediate air-quality risk is linked not only to emissions from fireworks but also to atmospheric conditions associated with the onset of winter. Temperature inversion can prevent pollutants from dispersing vertically, allowing particulate matter to accumulate nearer the ground. The monitoring figures show that pollution levels varied sharply across the city, with stations near major open spaces and built-up areas recording different trends through the day.
Further monitoring of the city’s stations after the Chhath evening rituals will indicate whether the elevated readings at RBU and Victoria Memorial translate into a broader deterioration in Kolkata’s air quality.
