Toxic smog blankets Delhi after Diwali, air quality slips into ‘severe’ category
New Delhi, October 21 – The national capital woke up to a thick blanket of toxic smog on Tuesday morning, as air quality plunged into the ‘severe’ zone following widespread bursting of firecrackers well beyond the time limit set by the Supreme Court on Diwali night. The dense haze led to poor visibility and hazardous breathing conditions across the city.
As per agency report, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed that Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 359 at 11 a.m., placing it in the ‘very poor’ category. Earlier readings showed 352 at 8 a.m., 346 at 5 a.m., 347 at 6 a.m., and 351 at 7 a.m., indicating consistently toxic levels. An AQI between 301 and 400 is categorized as ‘very poor,’ while 401 to 500 falls under the ‘severe’ range.
Out of 38 monitoring stations in the capital, 35 recorded pollution levels in the red zone, ranging from ‘very poor’ to ‘severe.’ According to CPCB’s Sameer app, 31 monitoring centers registered ‘very poor’ air quality, while four were in the ‘severe’ category. Jahangirpuri reported an AQI of 409, Wazirpur 408, Bawana 432, and Burari 405 — all indicating dangerously polluted air.
Environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari described the situation as a wake-up call for the city, warning that nearly every monitoring center in Delhi had entered the red zone. She said the haze was not only clouding the skies but also damaging children’s lungs, emphasizing that India already faces one of the world’s worst rates of chronic respiratory illnesses. She pointed out that 70 percent of all infectious disease cases in the country are linked to respiratory infections.
Despite the Supreme Court’s order allowing only green firecrackers to be burst between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Diwali, many residents ignored the directive and continued the celebrations late into the night.
On Monday, 36 of Delhi’s 38 monitoring stations had already recorded pollution levels in the red zone, with the city’s 24-hour average AQI at 345, classified as ‘very poor.’ Meteorological forecasts suggest that the air quality is likely to worsen further, slipping into the ‘severe’ category across most parts of the capital on Tuesday and Wednesday.
