Satellite images show North India under blanket of smog while situation remains better in Gujarat

Following the Diwali festival, a thick blanket of toxic smog has descended over most parts of North India due to a drop in temperature. This pollution is so intense that it is clearly visible from space. Satellite images captured on November 10 via NASA's Worldview—an interactive web-based mapping and visualization tool—show a large part of India covered in grey-coloured smog.

According to an NDTV report, the intensity of this smog is highest in North India. In the satellite view, the national capital Delhi, the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, and several surrounding states are seen completely gripped by this smog. This smog is not limited to the plains but has been observed extending further north to Himalayan states such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu-Kashmir.

This smog has also been observed in the central and southern parts of India, although its intensity there is lower compared to North India. In this overall scene, the western states and north-eastern states stand out. According to the satellite images, this grey smog was not seen in western Indian states like Rajasthan and Gujarat, as well as the north-eastern states, meaning these areas appear free from this thick blanket of pollution.

Comparing the scenes of November 10 with previous days reveals a significant difference. On November 9, the day after Diwali, the smog was relatively thin and scattered. At that time, pollution was observed only in some northern states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu-Kashmir.

Prior to that, on November 8, when Diwali was celebrated across the country, the situation was more severe. Due to the use of firecrackers during Diwali, pollution levels in the air rise immediately. Images captured by satellite on November 8 showed Delhi, western Uttar Pradesh, and other northern regions surrounded by a heavy cover of smog.

Although the intensity and location of the smog changed daily during the month of November, it has remained constant over India. This has become an annual occurrence where pollution levels rise as temperatures drop. The scenes of November 10 in the satellite images appear more severe than those of November 9, as the smog was denser and more widespread on the 10th.

On the other hand, a slight improvement in air quality was observed in the national capital Delhi on Tuesday, two days after Diwali. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 299, placing the air quality in the 'poor' category. Thus, the serious problem of pollution persists in most parts of North India, while the situation in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan appears clearer and better.