Diwali celebrations in Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) areas saw an increase in the use of eco-friendly, or "green" crackers, resulting in a significant reduction in harmful particulate matter compared to previous years. This year, the concentration of airborne particles was recorded at 165 µg/m³, a marked decrease from 245 µg/m³ in 2022 and 230 µg/m³ in 2023. Despite this improvement, the air quality index (AQI) rose from 127 before Diwali to 190 during the festivities, placing it in the "moderately polluted" category.
As citizens celebrated Diwali with great enthusiasm, firecracker use saw a noticeable increase, pushing noise levels to a peak of 84 decibels, up from 71 decibels prior to the festival. Thane’s Chief Environmental Officer Manisha Pradhan, Deputy Environmental Officer Vidya Sawant, and Junior Chemist Nirmitee Salgaonkar led the study on air and noise pollution levels, documenting a clear rise in both parameters compared to the non-festival period.
Pradhan noted that while both noise and air pollution spiked during Diwali, the figures showed a slight improvement compared to the past two years. Although the AQI climbed to 190, Thane's air remained in the moderately polluted range, highlighting the positive impact of increased green cracker use.