Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has questioned concerns over rising air pollution following Diwali, saying the pollution would subside, even as several cities in the state continued to record high Air Quality Index (AQI) readings.
Addressing a government event in Lucknow, Adityanath compared concerns over pollution caused by Diwali celebrations with what he described as the failure to question people who pollute the system through corruption.
“Some people are saying that pollution has increased because of Diwali. So what if it has increased? It will subside as well. Why are you worried?” he said.
“Those who have polluted the entire system through their corrupt deeds are not questioned. But if the public bursts firecrackers and celebrates with fireworks for one day, suddenly pollution becomes an issue,” the Chief Minister added.
Khurja records highest AQI in Uttar Pradesh
The remarks came as several locations in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the western part of the state, recorded elevated pollution levels.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) 24-hour average readings released at 4 pm on Wednesday, Khurja recorded the state’s highest AQI at 299.
Ghaziabad followed with an AQI of 297, while Noida recorded 291. Other locations with high readings included Khoda at 287, Baghpat at 285, Bulandshahr at 273, Meerut at 270 and Modinagar at 265.
The readings placed Khurja, Ghaziabad, Noida and the other listed locations in the ‘poor’ air quality category under the CPCB’s classification.
The CPCB categorises AQI readings between 201 and 300 as ‘poor’, while readings from 301 to 400 fall under the ‘very poor’ category.
Adityanath’s comments come amid continuing concerns over post-Diwali pollution in several parts of northern India, where air quality has remained a public health and environmental concern.
