BENGALURU: The city recorded 44% lower air pollution level during the three-day Deepavali festival compared to the previous year. According to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board’s (KSPCB) Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS), the average Air Quality Index (AQI) improved from 120 to 83 this festival season.
Of the 11 monitoring stations in the city, the cumulative data for the three days shows that Hebbal recorded the sharpest decline of 179%, followed by NIMHANS with 62% and Jigani with 60%.
Saneguruvanahalli was the only location to record a slight increase of 2% in air pollution levels.
The first day of Deepavali (October 20) saw the cleanest air quality, registering a 98% drop in pollution levels compared to the same day last year as the average AQI which was 153 dipped to 77. However, air quality slightly worsened on the second and third days, with the third day showing only a 7% decline from 2024 levels.
Compared to pre-Deepavali conditions on October 19, pollution levels during the festival showed an additional 5% drop, reflecting a modest but positive trend.
Noise levels monitored through Continuous Ambient Noise Monitoring Stations (CANMS) at six city locations told a different story. Five stations reported an increase in noise levels, while only Nisarga Bhavan in Basaveshwaranagar showed a decline.