States » EastPosted at: Oct 27 2026 12:37PM


AQI of Agartala worsened due to firecracker burning in Laxmi puja: TSPCB

Agartala, Oct 27 (UNI) The Tripura State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) today explained the sudden deterioration in Agartala’s air quality reported yesterday, which sparked questions about the city’s status as one of India’s cleanest.
The Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) data, released on Monday afternoon, triggered an outcry across the country, with the government facing accusations of unplanned growth and environmental deterioration.
According to CPCB’s daily air quality bulletin, Agartala recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 264 on Monday, the worst reading among the 13 cities listed in the bulletin. Under CPCB guidelines, AQI readings between 201 and 300 fall in the Poor category.
Prolonged exposure to air at these levels can cause breathing discomfort, with children, older adults, and people with respiratory conditions or other health concerns facing greater risks. Besides the withdrawal of the monsoon a couple of weeks ago, the city is still reeling under a heatwave and uncomfortable weather, and air quality deterioration has caused concern.
However, TSPCB officials attributed Monday morning’s poor air quality to firecrackers set off during Laxmi Puja celebrations the previous night. Although officials described the use of firecrackers as limited, they said it continued into the early morning and affected the city’s air quality.
A senior TSPCB official said Tripura’s Sharad festival celebrations began on October 17 and concluded with Laxmi Puja on October 26. The official noted that the AQI stood at 152 on October 25 and had improved to 114 this morning.
The official explained that smoke from firecrackers burnt on the night of October 25 became trapped in the lower atmosphere amid fog, causing air quality to deteriorate. Conditions improved after sunrise as sunlight increased, the official said, describing this morning’s air quality as having returned to normal.
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Tags: #AQI of Agartala worsened due to firecracker burning in Laxmi puja: TSPCB
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