Did Delhi's Green Diwali Work? Air Quality Data From Last Year Shows...

Delhi woke up to a quiet Tuesday after a night of loud and colorful Diwali. While rockets and fireworks lit up the sky, what has stayed behind is a thick layer of smog and ultra-fine pollutants. The air is hazy, heavy, and hard to ignore. The national capital recorded the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 350 at 8 am.

The grey sky has masked the post-festive fervor, just like every morning after Diwali. But, this time, it is after the capital resorted to the use of less-polluting 'green crackers' as directed by the Supreme Court.

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Polluted Mornings Post-Diwali: A Trend

November 1, 2024: According to the real-time data provided by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), Delhi's AQI soared to 359 at 6:30 am, the day after Diwali. (Note: The data for 2024 is not available on the CPCB's AQI repository so we have referred to SAFAR.)

November 13, 2023: Delhi recorded a massive jump in air pollution levels and a smoky haze returned after residents defied a blanket ban on firecrackers on Diwali night. At 8 am, the AQI stood at 438, falling under the severe category. Just 24 hours ago, on the morning of Diwali, AQI was recorded at 269.

October 25, 2022: Delhi's AQI stood at 315 (very poor) on the morning after Diwali.

November 5, 2021: Delhi defied the ban on firecrackers left, right and centre and added to the toxic air, taking the AQI up to 454 (severe category). November is the period when Delhi's air is hazardous due to several reasons including stubble burning and vehicular emissions. Firecrackers added to the existing crisis.

Trend In Air Pollution At Anand Vihar Station

Anand Vihar is often referred to as one of the most polluted areas in the capital. Let's look at the trend in air pollution at Anand Vihar when there was blanket ban vs relaxation on firecrackers in the form of green crackers.

2025: This year, green crackers were allowed with a hope of less pollution. However, today, at 8 in the morning, the Anand Vihar station recorded AQI at 360.

2024: The AQI shot up to 396, nearing the severe category.

2023: AQI was once again recorded as very poor. In numbers, AQI stood at 312 with PM 10 as the major pollutant.

2022: The AQI was recorded at 356 with PM 10 being the prominent pollutant.

Did Green Crackers Fail Delhi?

The Supreme Court first imposed a ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR in 2014-15 amid rising air pollution. However, enforcement challenges and lack of public compliance have always prevailed. Year on year, we have witnessed 'very poor' to 'severe' levels of air pollution in Delhi before and after Diwali.

This year, the top Court allowed the sale and use of green crackers on Diwali, striking a balance between interests of the industry and public health. But data narrates the same tale like an old tape recorder.

However, environmentalists raised eyebrows over the court's decision, referring to green crackers as 'less poison' as green crackers claim to produce 30 per cent less pollution.

Air pollution is not just an environmental issue, said Bhavreen Kandhari, who has been fighting for clean air for nearly three decades now.

"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? I'm fighting for clean air even before my children were born, and I still managed to give them only damaged lungs."

#WATCH | Visuals from near Sarojini Nagar as GRAP-2 invoked in Delhi; shot at 7:15 AM

The Air Quality Index (AQI) around the RK Puram was recorded at 330, in the 'Very Poor' category, in Delhi this morning as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). pic.twitter.com/MGAXCILOhM

— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2025

Interestingly, a day before Diwali, on October 19, anti-pollution curbs under the second stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-2) were invoked for Delhi and surrounding areas as the Air Quality Index plunged.

Under GRAP-2, there are restrictions on the use of coal and firewood as well as diesel generator sets in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

Sweeping and water sprinkling will be done every day on some roads to control dust pollution, and attempts will be made to ease congestion.