'Very Poor' Air Quality On Diwali Morning In Delhi After Night Of Crackers

Delhi woke up to toxic air on Diwali morning with the air quality index (AQI) worsening to the "very poor" category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city recorded an overall AQI of 335 at 8 am after people burst crackers, causing severe noise pollution and blanketing the national capital in smoke.

Out of approximately 38 monitoring stations in Delhi, most recorded AQI levels above 300 ("very poor"), while Anand Vihar (414) and Wazirpur (407) were in the "severe" category.

#WATCH | Visuals from the India Gate as GRAP-2 invoked in Delhi.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) around the India Gate was recorded at 347, in the 'Severe' category, in Delhi this morning as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). pic.twitter.com/5gbpOvT5hp

— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2025

#WATCH | Visuals from Akshardham temple as GRAP-2 invoked in Delhi.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) around Akshardham was recorded at 411, in the 'Severe' category, in Delhi this morning as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). pic.twitter.com/QD5N2oWJDM

— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2025

Two monitoring stations -- Sri Aurobindo Marg (165) and DTU (198) -- were in the "moderate" category.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 to 100 "satisfactory", 101 to 200 "moderate", 201 to 300 "poor", 301 to 400 "very poor", and 401 to 500 "severe".

The Board's forecast for the coming days indicates a similar trend, with the air quality expected to deteriorate further into the "severe" category on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Only Green Crackers Allowed On Diwali

The Supreme Court has permitted the sale and bursting of only green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR during Diwali with certain conditions.

The use of green crackers will be confined to specific hours -- 6 am to 7 pm on the day before Diwali and 8 am to 10 pm on the festival day.

There was a blanket ban on the manufacture, sale and use of fireworks before.

Enhanced Anti-Pollution Curbs In Delhi

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Sunday evening invoked Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR, in addition to Stage I actions already in force since October 14.

The move came after the Sub-Committee on GRAP on Saturday reviewed the worsening pollution levels and forecasts by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), which warned of further deterioration in the coming days.

Under Stage II of GRAP, several curbs and intensified actions include daily mechanical or vacuum sweeping and water sprinkling on identified roads, preferably before peak traffic hours, to control dust.

Construction and demolition sites face intensified inspections to ensure strict enforcement of dust control measures.

To promote cleaner mobility, the GRAP Stage II mandates augmentation of public transport services through additional CNG and electric buses and increased frequency of metro services, along with differential fare rates to encourage off-peak travel.

Resident welfare associations (RWAs) are required to provide electric heaters to staff such as guards, gardeners and sanitation workers to prevent open burning of biomass and solid waste during winters.

Entry of inter-state buses into Delhi is restricted to those running on CNG, EVs or BS-VI diesel, excluding tourist buses operating under all-India permits.

GRAP categorises air quality into four stages: Stage I (Poor) with AQI between 201 and 300, Stage II (Very Poor) between 301 and 400, Stage III (Severe) between 401 and 450, and Stage IV (Severe Plus) for AQI above 450.

Delhi Chief Minister's Request On Diwali

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta appealed to the people of Delhi to protect the city from pollution by using only green firecrackers during Diwali.

In a message to the people of Delhi, she encouraged people to celebrate the festival in traditional ways by lighting diyas, making rangoli and sharing sweets.

She said that Diwali, the festival of lights, should be celebrated in an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

(With agency inputs)