Power Corridors Bureau
New Delhi
Delhi woke up today under a suffocating blanket of smog after residents defied the ban on firecrackers during last night’s Diwali celebrations. The constant, booming crackles through the night added to severe noise pollution, and dense smoke cloaked the city, pushing air quality to dangerous levels.
The call by several right-wing organizations to defy the firecracker ban, insisting that religious expression outweighed public health concerns, fueled the disregard for restrictions in Delhi. Thousands of citizens chose to prioritize faith-based celebrations over health warnings, contributing to a perilous spike in pollution levels across the capital.
The organizations stance resonated with a significant portion of the population, who ignored the risks that this year’s celebrations posed to Delhi’s most vulnerable. Tens of thousands of people with respiratory conditions, as well as children and the elderly, are at heightened risk amid the severe drop in air quality. While the festive spirit took precedence for some, the consequences for public health—and the long-term environmental toll—remained starkly visible in the thick, lingering smog enveloping the city today.
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According to SAFAR’s real-time data, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) surged to 359 by early morning, placing it in the “very poor” category. In comparison, Diwali morning began with an AQI of 328, indicating a sharp rise in pollution levels as celebrations intensified. To put this in perspective, the AQI scale categorizes levels from “good” (0-50) to “severe-plus” (above 450), with “very poor” ranging between 301 and 400. Most monitoring stations across Delhi, including Anand Vihar and RK Puram, recorded alarming AQI levels, with some nearing 400, a high-risk threshold for respiratory health.
Environmental watchdogs had prepared for the festive season’s typical spike in pollution: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced a force of 377 teams tasked with enforcing the firecracker ban across the city, with support from the Delhi Police. However, enforcement efforts proved insufficient against the widespread flouting of the restrictions.
In addition to local factors, the seasonal spike in stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana has exacerbated the city’s smog crisis. Experts at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, forecasted that Delhi’s air quality will likely remain in the “very poor” range through Friday, as regional farm fires continue to send plumes of smoke drifting into the city.
With authorities now implementing stage two of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the capital faces increased restrictions. In stark contrast, last year’s Diwali, celebrated on November 12, saw Delhi record its cleanest post-festival air in eight years, with an average AQI of 218. The difference serves as a sobering reminder of the impact that festive indulgences, combined with seasonal environmental factors, can have on urban air quality.
