Delhi Chokes on ‘Severe’ Smog After Diwali Fireworks Defy Court Ban

• The Central Pollution Control Board recorded an air quality index of 370 in Delhi, placing the capital in the ‘very poor’ category.
• Several neighborhoods registered AQI levels above 400, classified as ‘severe,’ underscoring the depth of the public health crisis.

Air quality in India’s capital plummeted on Monday morning after residents celebrated the Hindu festival of Diwali by igniting fireworks in defiance of a Supreme Court ban. By 9 a.m. local time (0330 GMT), the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 370, rated “very poor” by the Central Pollution Control Board, which defines “good” air as an AQI of 50 or below.

Official monitoring data showed numerous districts across the metropolis of 20 million people surpassing the 400 threshold, entering the “severe” category. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had mandated that only certified low-emission firecrackers could be used during restricted hours over the holiday weekend. However, residents in both Delhi and the financial hub of Mumbai reported widespread violations continuing late into the night.

Footage from Reuters Television captured a dense layer of smog shrouding India Gate, the prominent war memorial in central Delhi near government offices and parliament. According to live rankings from Swiss air quality group IQAir, Delhi ranked as the world’s third most-polluted city Monday morning, trailing only Lahore, Pakistan, which topped the list with a hazardous AQI of 563.

Northern India grapples with acute pollution annually at the onset of winter, when cold, stagnant air traps vehicle exhaust, construction dust, and smoke from agricultural crop burning. The crisis is amplified in major urban centers like Delhi due to high traffic volumes and relentless construction activity, leaving millions vulnerable to respiratory ailments.

The capital has endured hazardous air quality for over a week. On Friday, authorities activated Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan, mandating a shift to online classes for schools and imposing additional emergency curbs on construction and industrial operations.

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