HYDERABAD: Hyderabad woke up to a blanket of smoke on Monday, a day after Diwali celebrations, as extensive firecracker bursting pushed air pollution levels to hazardous levels across several parts of the city.
The city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 509 on Sunday night, indicating hazardous air quality. Thick smog and the smell of burnt chemicals and sulphur lingered in several areas, including Serilingampally, Begumpet, Kompally, Jeedimetla and Sanathnagar, even after the celebrations ended.
The pollution levels were considerably higher than those recorded after Diwali last year. On October 21, 2025, the day after the festival, Hyderabad recorded an AQI of 351 in the very poor category. The peak AQI of 509 this year was 158 points higher, indicating a sharp deterioration in air quality.
According to AQI.in data, the city’s average AQI surged from 130 at 6.01 pm on Sunday to 509 around 9.31 pm. The concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) peaked at 392 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) around 9.30 pm. Pollution levels remained elevated late into the night, with the average AQI at 442 at 11.30 pm.
The impact was particularly severe in some localities, with Serilingampally recording an AQI of 666 at 11.30 pm. The city also recorded a noise level of 89.6 decibels (dB) around 9.30 pm, coinciding with peak firecracker bursting.
By Monday morning, the average AQI had declined to 178, while PM10 concentrations stood at 113 µg/m³. However, pollution levels continued to fluctuate. A subsequent live reading on AQI.in showed an AQI of 319, with PM2.5 at 224 µg/m³ and PM10 at 268 µg/m³.
According to Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TGPCB) data, PM2.5 concentrations during Diwali in 2025 increased by 86% over normal-day levels, rising from 37 µg/m³ to 69 µg/m³. PM10 levels rose by 68.13%, from 91 µg/m³ to 153 µg/m³. These concentrations were lower than those recorded in 2024, when PM2.5 stood at 84 µg/m³ and PM10 at 184 µg/m³.
Environmental activists expressed concern over the sharp deterioration in air quality, pointing out that the effects of Diwali celebrations persisted even after the festival, with smoke and particulate matter lingering in the atmosphere. They called for greater awareness of the environmental consequences of bursting firecrackers and urged people to opt for eco-friendly celebrations.
