Kolkata recorded 'poor' air quality on New Year’s Day, with PM2.5 levels breaching safe limits across multiple monitoring stations, officials of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) said on Thursday. At 2pm, the Air Quality Index (AQI) for PM2.5 stood at 315 in Jadavpur, placing it in the “very poor” category. A WBPCB official, however, said fireworks-related activity was lower than last year and celebrations largely tapered off after 12.30am. If there is concrete evidence, the matter will be taken up with the police,” the official said. He added that winter conditions, such as fog and stagnant air often worsen air quality, as smoke and particulate matter remain trapped near the ground for extended periods.

Source: The Telegraph January 01, 2026 09:19 UTC