Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Guwahati air quality hit a dangerous low on Sunday night. The Air Quality Index climbed to 400 by 9:01 pm on November 8 as residents set off firecrackers across the city. Just hours earlier, at 2:01 pm, the index sat at a much cleaner 87. The smoke lingered into Monday morning, November 9, with readings hovering between 150 and 175.
This spike arrives during a grim year for city air. Data from the AQI.in dashboard shows a 23 percent hike in annual pollution for 2026. The average AQI reached 135 this year, up from 110 in 2025. This marks the sharpest year-on-year jump on record for the platform. Historical data shows the city averaged 122 in 2021, 112 in 2022, 122 in 2023, and 105 in 2024.
Experts link the poor air to fireworks and other persistent urban hazards. Fine particulate matter like PM2.5 cuts deep into human lungs, posing risks to the elderly, children, and those with heart or lung trouble. Beyond festive booms, the city battles constant pollution from construction dust, road grime, industrial plants, and heavy traffic. The platform identifies March 2021 as the city's worst month ever with an AQI of 228, while August 2022 was the cleanest at 50.
The findings emphasize the damage caused by seasonal celebrations. The report states: "Fireworks release particulate matter and other pollutants into the atmosphere." Officials face mounting pressure to ramp up monitoring and curb these widespread sources of toxic air.
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