Madhya Pradesh air pollution reached severe levels after Diwali fireworks, with seven cities recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 300 and Ujjain registering the state’s highest reading at 412, according to data from the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) reported by the Times of India.
Bhopal’s TT Nagar monitoring station recorded an AQI of 404, placing it in the severe category alongside Ujjain. The readings were recorded between 6pm on November 8 and 6pm on November 9, covering the period during and after Diwali celebrations.
Several other urban centres also reported very poor air quality. Indore’s Maguda Nagar recorded an AQI of 386, while Gwalior registered 377, Jabalpur’s Marhatal station recorded 345, Mandideep 318 and Dewas 308. Under the AQI classification cited in the report, readings between 301 and 400 fall in the very poor category, while readings above 400 are classified as severe.
Station-level data showed that the deterioration was spread across multiple locations rather than being limited to one monitoring point in Bhopal. Indore’s Chhoti Gwalitoli recorded an AQI of 381, while Jabalpur’s Gupteshwar and Suhagi stations recorded 304 and 303 respectively.
The 24-hour pollution data also showed sharp increases in particulate matter in Bhopal and Indore. In Bhopal, PM10 reached 864 micrograms per cubic metre at 10pm on November 8, while PM2.5 peaked at 839 micrograms per cubic metre at 4am on November 9. In Indore, PM2.5 rose to 856 micrograms per cubic metre at 6am, and PM10 reached 839 micrograms per cubic metre an hour later.
The particulate matter readings subsequently declined through the morning, but remained indicative of a sharp post-fireworks pollution surge, the report said. The timing of the peaks places the highest recorded concentrations in the overnight and early-morning period following Diwali celebrations.
The spread of high readings across Ujjain, Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Mandideep and Dewas indicates that the post-Diwali deterioration affected several urban centres across Madhya Pradesh. The available station data records the intensity and geographical spread of the episode, while the reported readings do not establish how long the elevated pollution levels persisted beyond the monitoring period.
The MPPCB’s station-wise readings provide the immediate basis for assessing the episode. Further monitoring will determine how quickly AQI and particulate matter levels return to lower ranges across the affected cities.
