Diwali Fireworks Choke Delhi

Angry residents of the Indian capital, New Delhi, are sharing images of smog, one day after Diwali celebrations saw huge quantities of fireworks set off. Levels of particulate matter in the air hazardous to health rose to nearly 10 times the safe limit of 100. Authorities had warned that Delhi faced a polluted Diwali because of factors like humidity and wind speed. Diwali, the most important Hindu festival in north India, celebrates the victory of good over evil, BBC reported. Firecrackers are regularly set off during the festivities, which worsen air quality. Delhi’s local government announced last week that it would install air purifiers near roads to cut the effects of air pollution. However, visibility across the city was extremely low on Monday morning, thanks to the thick blanket of smog covering the city. The hashtag #smog was soon trending on Twitter India. A World Health Organization survey in 2014 found that 13 of the most polluted 20 cities in the world were in India. New Delhi was the most polluted city in the world, the survey added.