Delhi chokes after Diwali as air quality slips to 'very poor' category

Delhi’s air quality took a sharp hit following Diwali celebrations, slipping deep into the “very poor” category by early Tuesday morning.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 346 at 5.30 am, with most neighbourhoods entering the red zone.

Despite the Supreme Court’s conditional relaxation allowing the use of “green” firecrackers between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali night, fireworks continued well past the permitted hours, leaving the city shrouded in haze by midnight.

By 10 pm Monday, 36 of the 38 air quality monitoring stations had recorded pollution levels ranging from “very poor” to “severe.” The worst-hit locations included Dwarka (417), Ashok Vihar (404), Wazirpur (423), and Anand Vihar (404) — all registering in the “severe” category.

Morning visuals on Tuesday showed prominent landmarks such as Akshardham partially obscured by a thick blanket of smog. The city’s 24-hour average AQI at 4 pm on Monday stood at 345, higher than Sunday’s 326, signalling a steady deterioration through the festival period.

According to the CPCB, an AQI reading between 301 and 400 is classified as “very poor,” while levels between 401 and 500 indicate “severe” pollution.

Transport emissions accounted for 15.6 per cent of Delhi’s pollution load on Monday, while industrial and other sources contributed roughly 23.3 per cent, according to the Decision Support System (DSS).

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Delhi AQI: GRAP-II curbs reimposed

In response to worsening air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) reimposed Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR on Sunday evening.

The move followed a review by the GRAP sub-committee, based on inputs from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).

Under Stage II restrictions, local authorities have been directed to enforce strict dust control at construction sites, regulate waste burning, and increase mechanised road sweeping.

The CAQM noted that Delhi’s AQI rose from 296 at 4 pm to 302 by 7 pm on Sunday, prompting the need for immediate intervention.

Experts warn that calm weather conditions and stagnant winds could prevent the dispersal of pollutants, pushing the capital’s air quality further into the “severe” category over the next 48 hours. Residents are advised to minimise outdoor activity, especially during morning and evening hours when pollution levels tend to peak.