Delhi Chokes on Diwali: AQI Hits New Highs Amid Pollution Surge

Delhi registered its most severe air quality in four years during Diwali as pollution levels surged drastically overnight, with PM2.5 concentrations hitting 675 micrograms per cubic meter - a figure unmatched since 2021.

The city's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stayed in the 'very poor' category, measuring 345 at 4 pm on Monday. By comparison, the AQI was 330 in 2024 and 218 in 2023, as per Central Pollution Control Board records. While some climate experts pointed out missing peak-hour data, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa assured all data was accessible, asserting the department’s digital platforms were fully functional.

Despite permissions from the Supreme Court to burst green firecrackers within specific hours, many celebrations exceeded allotted times, exacerbating air quality issues. Transport emissions and neighboring regions’ pollution contributions compounded the problem, with the Decision Support System estimating a 14.6% transportation contribution to Delhi's pollution on Tuesday. Improved wind speeds are expected to enhance air quality, with former CPCB official Dipankar Saha attributing stagnant winds to a Bay of Bengal depression causing pollutant accumulation.