Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct. 17: Air Pollution is a great concern in today’s world especially for people who suffer from respiratory health issues. Awareness about air pollution is important for the citizens against pollution caused due to the use of fire crackers, causing higher danger to lives and health of the vulnerable groups.
In compliance of the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and Hon’ble NGT Order Dated 23-10-2018 in the matter of O.A No.728 of 2015, the Andaman & Nicobar Administration has taken various steps to control the Air Pollution due to bursting of fire crackers by restricting the timing only to two hours between 8 pm to 10 pm during the Deepawali.
As per the directions, the Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC) is carrying out the short-term monitoring of Ambient Air and Noise levels for the upcoming Deepawali festival. The monitoring program aligns with the protocol of the Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi.
The ANPCC has installed three monitoring stations at Aberdeen Bazaar, Dollygunj and Chouldari area. These stations have been made operational for 15 days, commencing from 7 days prior to Diwali (starting from13th October 2025) and concluding 7 days after Diwali (ending on 27th October 2025). The parameters to be closely monitored include Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Particulate Matter 10 (PM10), Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5), metals such as Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), and Arsenic (As) in PM10, as well as selected metals/elements like Aluminum (Al), Barium (Ba), and Iron (Fe) in PM2.5. Additionally, noise levels will be continuously monitored on both pre-Deepawali and Deepawali days.
This year, Deepawali falls on Oct. 20 and ANPCC’s monitoring program has been started from 13th October, 2025 and will continue up to Oct. 27, ensuring data collection during the crucial 7 days before and after the Diwali festival.
The Ambient Air Quality is assessed through the Air Quality Index (AQI), which classifies air quality into six categories ranging from Good to Severe, helping citizens understand pollution severity and its health implications
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Based on the data recorded during the monitoring period, the AQI will be computed for each location. In the previous year (2024), the AQI was assessed as ‘satisfactory’ at both Aberdeen Bazaar and Dollygunj monitoring stations.
The ANPCC continues its dedicated efforts to maintain and improve air and noise quality during the festive season, ensuring a safe, clean, and healthy environment for the residents of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.