Air pollution in India’s capital worsened sharply on Monday following Diwali celebrations, with widespread firecracker use and unfavourable weather conditions leaving the city blanketed in thick smog.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi recorded a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 344 on Monday afternoon, placing air quality in the “very poor” category.
Residents woke up to dense smog across several neighbourhoods, with reduced visibility reported in different parts of the capital.
Delhi experienced its most polluted Diwali in five years, recording an average AQI of 376 during Sunday’s celebrations, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI).
Monitoring data from the Delhi government showed pollution levels varying between “very poor” and “severe” across the city, with one monitoring station registering an AQI of 413.
Despite restrictions imposed by India’s Supreme Court, firecrackers were reportedly used until late Sunday night. The court had permitted only certified green firecrackers during specified hours in an effort to limit pollution.
Authorities said anti-smog guns had been deployed in parts of the capital to help reduce airborne pollutants.
According to PTI, several factors contributed to the deterioration in air quality, including firecracker emissions, vehicle exhaust, unfavourable meteorological conditions and the peak agricultural stubble-burning season in neighbouring states.
Air pollution is a recurring environmental and public health challenge in Delhi, particularly during the winter months when cooler temperatures and stagnant atmospheric conditions can trap pollutants close to the ground.
The burning of crop residue in surrounding agricultural regions further adds to emissions from industries, coal-fired power plants and road traffic, worsening the capital’s seasonal pollution crisis.