UP Air Pollution: Which cities of UP got bad air after Diwali? AQI was lowest in Bareilly - ghaziabad noida air quality worsens in diwali other up cities breathe easy

Updated: Wed, 22 Oct 2025 09:20 (IST) Air pollution levels remained very poor in Ghaziabad and Noida on Diwali, while air quality remained under control in cities like Lucknow, Prayagraj and Bareilly. According to the Pollution Control Board, pollution levels are constantly increasing in NKR cities, but the situation is better in other cities. Pollution remained less due to the attraction of the celebration of Green Diwali and favorable weather. State Bureau, Lucknow. Every year the splendor of Diwali along with lights also brings choking smoke but this time the air of the state has a different story. This time too, it is difficult to breathe in Ghaziabad and Noida cities belonging to NCR, while other cities of the state heaved a sigh of relief. The data of the last three years on Diwali shows that the pollution graph in the cities of NCR has continuously increased from the year 2023 to 2025. The good news is that air quality has remained under control in cities like Lucknow, Prayagraj and Bareilly. Remove ads Read only news According to the data of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, in the year 2025, the air quality index (AQI) of Ghaziabad and Noida cities crossed 300, which falls in the “very poor” category. The air here is quite poisonous even after Diwali. This year, on the day of Diwali, AQI of Meerut city was recorded at 260, Ghaziabad at 316 and Noida at 325. On the day of Diwali in the year 2024, the AQI was 202 in Meerut, 273 in Ghaziabad and 257 in Noida. This time on the day of Diwali, the average AQI of Lucknow city was 144 while it was 182 in 2024 and 126 in 2023. After Diwali, AQI of Lucknow was 306 last year while it was 250 this year. This time the AQI in Varanasi was at slightly over 180 last year. 2024 and 108 in 2023. This Diwali in Gorakhpur city it was 127, last year it was 224 and in 2023 it was 62. The situation in Agra is more or less the same as last year. This year it was 149 on Diwali, last year it was 148 and in the year 2023 it was 73. This time the AQI in Kanpur city was 194 on the day of Diwali, 131 last year and 123 in the year 2023. This time relief was also seen in Bareilly. The AQI here was the lowest in the entire state. This time the AQI was 89, in the year 2024 it was 90 and in the year 2023 it was 91. Pollution Control Board Chairman RP Singh says the effect of the government’s appeal to celebrate Green Diwali is visible in the state this time. Apart from the cities of NCR, the situation is good in other cities. There was awareness about green biscuits. Along with this, the weather also cooperated this time. This time the weather on Diwali was warmer than last year. When it is very cold, the smoke cannot rise, causing the smog to increase.