A.P. cities record dip in AQI after Deepavali; Visakhapatnam worst hit

People in Andhra Pradesh celebrated Deepavali emphatically with firecrackers illuminating the night skies, leaving the air quality deteriorated and making it harder to breathe on Monday.

While all prominent cities in the State recorded “moderate” air quality, ranging between 101 and 200, air in Visakhapatnam and Rajamahendravaram dipped to the “poor” category on Monday, according to the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB). On Deepavali last year, October 20, Visakhapatnam recorded an AQI of 44.

Meanwhile, a hospital in Visakhapatnam received two patients on Deepavali night. A doctor said that one of them came with respiratory failure due to exposure to dense smoke.

A smoky haze hangs over the BRTS Road at Maddilapalem in Visakhapatnam on Sunday night.
| Photo Credit:
V. RAJU

P. Krishnaiah, Chairman, APPCB, said the 72 manual and 20 continuous monitoring stations across the State ordinarily record air and noise levels within permitted limits, but the burning of crackers during Deepavali pushed pollution up. The Board said particulate matter exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards on the festival day.

Real-time noise monitoring recorded peak levels of 111 dB(A) in Visakhapatnam and 112 dB(A) in Vijayawada on Deepavali night, against the night-time standard of 45 dB(A) for residential areas.

M. Sree Ranjani, Joint Chief Environmental Scientist, said the festival fell on November 8 this year, 19 days later than in 2025, and had moved into the winter season. Temperature inversion, she said, leads to poor dispersion, as cold air traps pollutants close to the surface.

The APPCB’s health statements say “moderate” air causes breathing discomfort to people with lung and heart disease and asthma, while “poor” air causes discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure.

Dr. Sudheer Tale, pulmonologist at Medicover Hospitals in Visakhapatnam, which received the two patients, said asthma exacerbations, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis and sinusitis increase when the AQI crosses 200, and smokers are at greater risk.

Dr. Tale said PM2.5 particles pass from the lungs into the bloodstream and, with long exposure, raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, memory loss and anxiety. Continuous exposure at that level, he added, can lead to lung cancer.

He advised the public to wear face masks outdoors, and those with lung ailments to use air purifiers at home.