New Delhi: Fireworks celebrating the ongoing Diwali festival have severely worsened air quality in India’s capital, pushing New Delhi to the top of the world’s most polluted cities.
On Tuesday morning, New Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) soared to 442, according to Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir, placing it in the ‘hazardous’ category.
The surge came after widespread fireworks displays on Monday evening, which, combined with traffic, industrial emissions, and agricultural burning, significantly increased air pollution.
The concentration of PM2.5 particles, which are tiny airborne pollutants capable of penetrating the lungs and causing serious health problems, was over 59 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended annual limit. India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) rated the air as ‘very poor’, noting an AQI of 350, far above the 0–50 range considered safe.
The Hindu festival of lights, celebrated from October 18–23, has historically contributed to rising pollution in Delhi. Last week, India’s Supreme Court relaxed the ban on firecrackers, allowing green crackers emitting fewer pollutants to be used for a maximum of three hours each on Sunday and Monday. However, reports indicate that many fireworks were set off well beyond the permitted times, worsening air quality further.
New Delhi and its surrounding districts are prone to severe winter smog, as cold, heavy air traps dust, vehicular emissions, and smoke from crop burning. Residents of the 20-million-strong metropolis often face respiratory difficulties during this period.
In previous years, authorities have responded by closing schools, stopping construction, and restricting vehicle movement. Last November, the city experienced weeks of toxic smog, with AQI readings exceeding 1,700, over 17 times the acceptable limit.
New Delhi is not the only South Asian city struggling with hazardous air. On Tuesday, Lahore in Pakistan recorded an AQI of 234, ranking it as the second-most polluted city globally. Lahore, the capital of Punjab province bordering India, has launched an emergency plan to curb pollution, including restrictions on farm fires and polluting vehicles, and the use of anti-smog guns.
