Mumbai’s air quality worsened on Saturday and Sunday, lingering between 157 and 171 on the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Air Quality Index (AQI) and falling in the ‘moderate’ category. Several monitoring stations across the city recorded AQI of over 200, in the ‘poor’ category. Bandra-Kurla Complex was the worst hit, with AQI above 300, in the ‘very poor’ category.

According to CPCB guidelines, AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’ (green code), 50 and 100 is considered ‘satisfactory’ (green code), 100 and 200 ‘moderate’ (yellow), 200 and 300 ‘poor’ (orange), and above 300 is considered ‘very poor’ (red). The weekend marks the beginning of the four-day Diwali festival, and Saturday was marked by Dhanteras, an occasion where firecrackers are burst as part of festive celebrations.