Kali Puja Night Turns Hazardous as Kolkata and Howrah Air Quality Hits ‘Severe’
Firecracker frenzy turns festive night into toxic nightmare.
Kolkata and Howrah plunged into a suffocating haze on Kali Puja night as relentless firecracker bursts shattered both silence and air quality guidelines, pushing pollution levels into the dreaded "severe" zone despite strict 8 pm to 10 pm curbs imposed by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) and Kolkata Police.
By 10 pm Monday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) skyrocketed to a staggering 364 PM 2.5 at Belur in Howrah—firmly in the "severe" category that triggers health warnings for all residents. Nearby Padmapukur recorded 361, while Gh-turned-toxic Ghusuri crossed 252. Even Kolkata’s iconic Victoria Memorial clocked 186, slipping into "poor" territory, with Ballygunge at 173 and Jadavpur at 169. At Rabindra Bharati University in Sinthi, the AQI hit 167, painting a grim portrait of a city under siege by its own celebrations.
Just two hours earlier at 8 pm, readings were already alarming: Victoria at 164, Jadavpur 159, Belur Math 161, and Ballygunge 134. The sharp spike within the permitted window proves the two-hour relaxation was brutally exploited. Environmentalists say the real damage unfolded after 10 pm, when neighborhoods turned into war zones of sound and smoke.
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From the narrow lanes of Kashipur and Jorasanko to the bustling streets of Maniktala, Kasba, Tollygunge, and Behala, high-decibel bombs and rockets echoed unchecked. “It wasn’t celebration—it was chemical warfare,” fumed environmentalist Somendra Mohan Ghosh, who documented nonstop bursting across north and south Kolkata and Howrah till the early hours. “Police patrolled, WBPCB monitored, yet no one stopped the sale or use. They were spectators to a public health crime.”
Activists warn the worst is yet to come. With post-Kali Puja immersion processions and late-night celebrations slated for Tuesday, Howrah—already reeling under "severe" pollution—could see AQI breach 400. “Elderly citizens gasped for air, asthmatic children wheezed, pets howled in terror,” said Naba Dutta of Sabuj Manch. “This isn’t devotion; it’s environmental terrorism enabled by inaction.”
WBPCB officials admitted they are “analyzing the data” but stopped short of announcing penalties. Meanwhile, hospitals reported a surge in respiratory distress cases, with pediatric wards filling up faster than last year. Doctors blame PM 2.5 particles—tiny enough to lodge deep in lungs—for triggering asthma attacks, bronchitis, and heart strain.
As Kolkata wakes to a smog-choked sunrise, one question looms: Will authorities finally enforce the law, or will Diwali deliver an even deadlier blow? The city’s lungs—and its conscience—are on the line.
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