LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 25:11 November 2025
ISSN 1930-2940

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The NETIZENS' concern in the time of deteriorating AQI: A case study of firecracker ban in India

Mohit Raj
Sweta Sinha

Abstract

Indian cities are experiencing severe deterioration in air quality, which worsens during the pollution season due to stubble burning and firecracker use. Although the government implements measures to control pollution, the effectiveness of such policies depends on public compliance, which in turn is shaped by people's primary concerns. Understanding these concerns is therefore essential. Therefore, to understand the concerns of netizens, the study examines their reactions to the firecracker ban on social media. The netizens' concerns are reflected in the elements of arguments. Therefore, the study addresses the question: What standpoints and material starting points are expressed in these posts? Using the pragma-dialectical theory of argumentation, the study identifies and interprets these argumentative elements. Data were collected from X (formerly Twitter) over a 45-day period from October 1 to November 15, 2024, consisting exclusively of Hindi-language posts. The findings show that anti-ban netizens focus largely on issues of economy, employment, culture, tradition, and the intentions of those advocating the ban, rather than on deteriorating air quality. In contrast, pro-ban netizens express concerns aligned with environmental conditions and emphasise separating religious traditions from the practice of burning firecrackers. The study contributes to research on online argumentation and digital environmental humanities, offering insights that may help policymakers enhance public compliance.

Keywords:Firecracker ban, pragma-dialectical, netizen, social-media, argumentation

Introduction

The deteriorating air quality in India's urban landscape has created an air quality crisis that has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century. The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Indian metropolitan cities, such as Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai, is consistently deteriorating and ranks among the world’s most hazardous levels. The AQI values in these cities exceed 300-500 during peak pollution seasons (Central Pollution Control Board, 2023). The listing of 22 Indian cities among the 30 world's most polluted cities highlights the severity of the nation’s air pollution predicament (World Health Organisation, 2023). The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has reported that 40% of India's population lives in areas where air quality fails to meet national standards. The deteriorating air quality has escalated the environmental concern to a public health emergency (Balakrishnan et al., 2019). Over 1.67 million premature deaths annually in India are linked to air pollution, which highlights the devastating situation that makes air pollution a leading environmental factor for mortality in the country (Ghude et al., 2016). Moreover, air pollution also has significant economic implications, resulting in an annual economic loss of $95 billion, equivalent to approximately 3% of India's GDP (Maji et al., 2018).

The deterioration of air quality in Indian cities has been caused by both anthropogenic and natural factors. Industrial emissions are among the primary contributors to air pollution. The rapid industrialisation and inadequate pollution control measures result in the emission of particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10), including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other volatile organic compounds, into the atmosphere (Guttikunda & Calori, 2013). The exponential growth with over 295 million registered vehicles as of 2023, contributes approximately 27% of total air pollution due to vehicular emissions in the urban areas (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, 2023). Agricultural activity, particularly post-harvesting stubble burning in large quantities in Punjab and Haryana, exacerbates air quality issues. It alone contributes to 15-20% of Delhi PM2.5 pollution during the October-November months (Cusworth et al., 2018). Moreover, construction activities and road dust account for nearly 38% of PM10 pollution in major cities (Apte et al., 2015). The use of solid fuels for cooking in urban areas also contributes to the deterioration of air pollution levels.

Seasonal factors, including meteorological conditions and festival seasons, also contribute to air pollution. The meteorological conditions, such as temperature inversions, low wind speeds, and humidity variations, trap air pollutants in the lower atmosphere, creating a 'pollution bowl' during the winter months (Sharma et al., 2016). During the festival seasons, marked by the widespread use of firecrackers during Diwali and other celebrations, an acute pollution spike causes a 30-40% increase in PM2.5 levels within 24-48 hours (Singh et al., 2019). Seasonal factors, including meteorological conditions and festival seasons, also contribute to air pollution. The meteorological conditions, such as temperature inversions, low wind speeds, and humidity variations, trap air pollutants in the lower atmosphere, creating a ‘pollution bowl’ during the winter months (Sharma et al., 2016). During the festival seasons, marked by the widespread use of firecrackers during Diwali and other celebrations, an acute pollution spike causes a 30-40% increase in PM2.5 levels within 24-48 hours (Singh et al., 2019).

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Mohit Raj
PhD Scholar, Linguistics (Pursuing)
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Indian Institute of Technology Patna,
Bihta, Patna - 801106
mohitraj.iitp21@gmail.com
&
Sweta Sinha
Associate Professor, Linguistics
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Indian Institute of Technology Patna,
Bihta, Patna - 801106
apna1982@gmail.com
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