UP CM Yogi Adityanath Defends Diwali Fireworks Amid Post-Festival Pollution Spike

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has defended the use of firecrackers during Diwali festivities, downplaying public worries regarding the subsequent deterioration of air quality.

Speaking at an event in Lucknow, Adityanath argued that temporary air pollution caused by a single day of celebration would quickly dissipate. He stated that his government intentionally chose not to introduce curbs on fireworks and suggested that critics focus disproportionately on festive emissions rather than past corruption in the administrative system.

The chief minister's defense followed a noticeable drop in visibility and sharp spikes in pollution readings across several major cities in the state. Central pollution data revealed air quality indices reaching poor and very poor brackets in Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, and Lucknow in the days surrounding the festival.

Adityanath also contrasted current festive conditions with the period prior to 2017, claiming that previous administrations frequently oversaw communal friction and security fears ahead of major holidays.