Children and elderly at risk as Midnapore’s air turns hazardous post-Diwali
The Statesman | 23 October 2025According to a survey led by Professor Prabhat Kumar Sheet, the town’s air pollution levels spiked sharply during Kali Puja and Diwali celebrations, exceeding the acceptable limits in several neighbourhoods. “The joy of the festival is getting lost behind clouds of poisonous smoke,” professor Sheet said. “The metallic compounds and chemicals released by firecrackers create fine particulate matter in the air. During such nights, PM2.5 levels can increase anywhere between 30 per cent and 400 per cent.”
Measurements taken in Rabindranagar on Sunday night revealed alarming figures — PM2.5 levels touched 113 µg/m³, while the coarser PM10 particles reached 143 µg/m³, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) indicating only a “moderate” air condition. However, the situation deteriorated further by Monday night, when PM2.5 surged to 249 µg/m³ and PM10 to 392 µg/m³, placing the city firmly in the “very poor” category.
Environmentalists attribute this surge primarily to indiscriminate bursting of banned firecrackers — including high-decibel “chocolate bombs,” “dodomas,” and “Kalipotkas” — despite a blanket ban on non-green fireworks. “Many people ignored the ban,” said an environmental volunteer. “Even under the guise of ‘green crackers,’ prohibited varieties were sold and used, worsening the city’s air quality.”
Particulate Matter (PM) — both PM2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres) and PM10 (up to 10 micrometres) — are among the most harmful pollutants for human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified them as major environmental health risks.
India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore, aims to reduce PM10 concentrations by 40 per cent by 2025-26.
But local observations suggest the opposite trend. Professor Sheet’s team found that the town’s air is now “unhealthy,” with floating dust particles far above safe thresholds. “Without rain or strong winds, these pollutants remain suspended,” he warned. “The elderly and children are particularly vulnerable.”
Doctors have also voiced concern over the rising incidence of respiratory and cardiac ailments linked to pollution. Prolonged exposure to high PM concentrations can trigger asthma, bronchial infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and even lung cancer. “These fine particles are so tiny that they easily penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, weakening the body’s natural defences,” a local physician explained.
Recent medical studies indicate that air pollution doesn’t just affect the lungs — it can impact nearly every vital organ, leading to long-term illnesses and premature deaths. An estimated 2,750 people per 100,000 die annually in India due to pollution-related diseases, driven by exposure to nitrogen oxides, sulphur compounds, and carbon monoxide.
Midnapore’s air quality readings reflect a growing crisis that mirrors the condition of larger metros such as Delhi and Kolkata, where winter often brings smog-laden skies. Environmental activists warn that if immediate steps are not taken, the district town could soon face similar conditions.
