Delhi woke up to a thick haze and poor air quality on Tuesday morning after Diwali celebrations, despite the Supreme Court allowing less-polluting “green crackers” this year. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 350 at 8 am, with Anand Vihar—a city hotspot—reporting AQI of 360.
Historically, post-Diwali air in Delhi has ranged from “very poor” to “severe.” For example, in 2024, AQI at Anand Vihar was 396, in 2023 it stood at 312, and in 2022 it was 356. Even with green crackers this year, air pollution remained high, suggesting that “less-poison” crackers are not enough to prevent toxic air, according to environmentalists.
Bhavreen Kandhari, an activist campaigning for clean air for nearly three decades, said, “We are talking about public health. 30 per cent less pollution is meaningless. Are you saying less poison? Do you want to feed your children less poison?”
Ahead of Diwali, GRAP-2 restrictions were invoked across Delhi-NCR due to low air quality, limiting the use of coal, firewood, and diesel generators. Authorities have also initiated sweeping, water sprinkling on roads, and traffic management to curb dust pollution.
Experts say that Diwali fireworks, combined with vehicular emissions and stubble burning, continue to make post-festive air dangerously polluted in the national capital.