Delhi's Air Quality Worsens Post-Diwali, Health Experts Warn of Respiratory Risks

Relentless bursting of firecrackers, flouting the Supreme Court-mandated time slots, blanketed Delhi in toxic haze on Tuesday a day after Diwali, with the air quality index (AQI) worsening to the 'severe' category. According to data, the average air quality index (AQI) stood at 451 early morning – 1.8x above the national average – as pollution levels worsened amid festive celebrations.

On Diwali night (October 20), Delhi’s air quality plunged to 345 AQI, categorised as “very poor.” According to the CPCB, 34 of Delhi’s 38 monitoring stations recorded pollution levels in the red zone, ranging from “very poor” to “severe”.

Experts warned that pollution result in respiratory illnesses due to continued firecracker use, low wind speed and poor weather conditions. Authorities also reported multiple violations of the city’s ban on firecracker sales and use.

As per the latest update, the app showed that Noida’s AQI stood at 324, falling into the ‘very poor’ category. Meanwhile, Ghaziabad was also in the same category, as the region’s AQI also stood at 324.

Notably, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced the implementation of Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Sunday across Delhi-NCR. On October 15, the Supreme Court allowed the sale and use of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR from 6 am to 7 pm, and 8 pm to 10 pm, on Diwali eve and the day of the festival.