Delhi Chokes On Diwali As Air Quality Near ‘Severe’ Zone

Commuters make their way amid low visibility on a hazy morning. (PTI photo)

Delhi’s air quality dipped sharply on Diwali day, with multiple parts of the city recording Air Quality Index (AQI) levels close to or within the ‘severe’ category.

Residents across the capital woke up to a blanket of smog on Monday morning, as pollution levels worsened amid festive celebrations.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), several areas in the city reported AQI readings dangerously close to 400. Ashok Vihar recorded an AQI of 401, Wazirpur 418, Mandir Marg 345, Nehru Nagar 391, and Punjabi Bagh 393.

Earlier in the morning, the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app showed that Delhi had an overall AQI of 339 at 9 am, falling under the ‘very poor’ category. Data from 38 monitoring stations indicated that most parts of the city had AQI levels above 300.

Several key areas breached the ‘severe’ mark: Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 414, and Wazirpur 412. Other places, including Bawana (369), Pusa (371), and Ashok Vihar (394), were in the ‘very poor’ range. Only a few locations like Sri Aurobindo Marg (165) and DTU (198) reported moderate air quality.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 to 100 “satisfactory”, 101 to 200 “moderate”, 201 to 300 “poor”, 301 to 400 “very poor”, and 401 to 500 “severe”.

Amid rising pollution levels, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has already enforced Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the Delhi-NCR region. The decision came after forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) predicted further deterioration in air quality in the coming days.

Adding to concerns, the Supreme Court last week allowed the use of green firecrackers during Diwali celebrations, but only during designated time slots — between 6 am and 7 pm, and again from 8 pm to 10 pm on the day before and on Diwali itself.

As Diwali festivities continue into the evening, air quality is likely to dip further, raising concerns for vulnerable groups including children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues.

(With inputs from PTI)