Air pollution spikes sharply across Odisha after Diwali celebrations

Air quality in Odisha deteriorated rapidly following extensive firecracker burning during Diwali, pushing pollution levels into the poor category in several urban areas. The highest Air Quality Index of <b>288</b> was recorded in Bileipada of Keonjhar district, followed by <b>266</b> in Talcher and <b>207</b> in the capital city of Bhubaneswar. In Bhubaneswar, the Lingaraj temple monitoring station registered an AQI of <b>242</b> on Monday morning, while PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels surged to <b>500</b> on Sunday night. Meanwhile, moderate air quality was maintained in Cuttack, Baripada, Balasore, and Barbil according to local reports. Thick smoke severely reduced visibility across the capital, prompting residents to report breathing difficulties despite keeping doors and windows closed.