Chennai, the day after Deepavali, is blanketed in a haze of pollution, as the aftermath of the night’s firecracker celebrations leaves air quality levels dangerously compromised. The festive explosions, which lit up the sky and echoed through neighborhoods, have had a noticeable impact on the city’s air quality, with Perungudi and Velachery recording some of the highest Air Quality Index (AQI) levels at 235 and 205 respectively, according to real-time data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).