Delhi’s air quality nosedived to its worst post-Diwali level in three years, with thick smog blanketing the city on October 21, a day after the festival of lights.
Air Quality Index (AQI) readings across most of the national capital’s 38 monitoring stations hit the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories, as residents woke up to a choking haze and burnt smell in the air.
The worst Diwali in three years
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s average AQI stood at 451 on Tuesday morning, a drastic spike from Sunday’s 326 and Diwali night’s 345. Several areas, including Wazirpur (435), Anand Vihar (440), Ashok Vihar (445), and Dwarka (422), recorded ‘severe’ air quality levels.
Noida and Gurugram mirrored the capital’s toxic readings, hovering around 400. Experts called this the worst post-Diwali pollution spike in the last three years, surpassing the readings of 359 recorded in 2024 and 382 in 2023.
Despite the Supreme Court’s limited relaxation permitting only green firecrackers between 8-10 PM on October 20, widespread violations were reported across the city.
Firecrackers continued to burst until well past midnight in areas such as Laxmi Nagar, Rohini, and South Delhi, aggravating already stagnant air under low wind conditions.
The Delhi Police reportedly received over 269 firecracker-related emergency calls on Diwali night.
SC orders flouted
The Supreme Court had earlier allowed the sale and bursting of certified green crackers with QR codes “on a test basis” while warning that violations would invite contempt action.
However, the enforcement system collapsed, with banned firecrackers flooding markets despite the ruling. Reports suggested the sale of conventional firecrackers through unlicensed traders and online black markets.
Environmental activists labelled this a “collective failure” of civic and law enforcement agencies, as Delhi’s skies turned grey hours after the festival concluded.
City gasps under toxic skies
Residents across Delhi and NCR complained of burning eyes and throat irritation, describing the city as a “gas chamber”. With visibility dropping in parts of East and North Delhi, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), advising residents to stay indoors and avoid outdoor exertion.
The AQI monitor at Anand Vihar peaked above 440 at 7 AM, nearing emergency levels typical of Delhi’s November smog.
Meteorologists warn that the air quality could deteriorate further in the coming days as wind speeds remain stagnant and humidity traps pollutants at ground level.