Diwali 2026: Bhumi Pednekar slams late-night firecracker bursting, calls rising AQI and pollution "heartbreaking"

Mumbai: Air quality has deteriorated sharply across several cities following Diwali celebrations, with firecracker bursting contributing to a significant rise in pollution levels. Delhi has been particularly badly affected, with the AQI entering the 'severe' category in several areas.

Several people have raised concerns over the deteriorating air quality following Diwali celebrations. Actor Bhumi Pednekar also expressed concern over the health risks posed by rising pollution levels, particularly for children, animals and the elderly.

On Monday morning, she put up an Instagram post that read, "Diwali is a festival of light, love, family and new beginnings. But every year, along with the celebrations, comes a familiar aftermath: polluted air, firecracker waste, noise and frightened animals. Firecrackers release fine particulate matter and other pollutants that add to an already challenging air-quality situation. And the impact isn’t experienced equally. Children, older people, those with respiratory conditions and animals are particularly vulnerable.This year, let’s make a choice that allows everyone including the ones who cannot speak for themselves to enjoy the festival."

In fact, around 3 am, she also posted a story saying it was heartbreaking to see people still bursting firecrackers. 
"Houses have caught fire, The AQI is hazardous, Roads are full of waste, Its 3 am and all I can hear are loud crackers. Our roads were full of people bursting crackers on them, Out in the open, even when it's not allowed. This is heartbreaking. @my bmc ®mumbaipolice,' Bhumi posted. 

Take a look:

According to monitoring data, Mumbai's Kherwadi-Bandra East recorded an AQI of 264, followed by Sewri at 226, Ghatkopar at 221 and Chembur at 216. Byculla recorded an AQI of 193, Mindspace-Malad West 191, Kandivali West 187 and Worli 148. Kurla recorded an AQI of 96.

In Uttar Pradesh, a thick layer of smog blanketed Lucknow as several parts of the city woke up to hazy conditions. According to CPCB classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'.

With Stage III measures in force following the CAQM's decision, existing restrictions will continue alongside additional pollution-control measures, increased enforcement and directions to concerned agencies to prevent further deterioration in air quality.

The emergency action plan applies across Delhi and adjoining districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. It is invoked as a precautionary measure based on meteorological and pollution forecasts provided by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), allowing restrictions to be implemented before citywide AQI levels reach the 'severe' category.