A plume of dense smog strangled the national capital region following Diwali fireworks, driving the Air Quality Index into the “very poor” and “severe” categories across much of the city-region. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board and monitoring platforms show that several localities within the Delhi-NCR region hit AQI readings above 400 — a level regarded as hazardous for public health.
The deterioration coincides with widespread use of firecrackers throughout Diwali, despite the Supreme Court of India permitting only certified “green” variants and restricting bursting to two limited slots — 6–7 am and 8–10 pm on specified days. Enforcement challenges emerged clearly: 36 of the city’s 38 monitoring stations recorded red-zone levels, and at least a handful exceeded the 500-point mark.
Experts argue that even green fireworks — developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s National Environmental Engineering Research Institute — remain far from harmless. Although designed to emit roughly 30 per cent fewer pollutants under laboratory conditions, scientists warn that the huge volume of fireworks in Delhi-NCR offsets any emission reduction. According to one analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, “assuming all firecrackers are green, the sheer scale of bursting will still degrade air quality significantly.”
Timing and weather conditions compounded the problem. The metropolitan area awakened to thick haze and low visibility as stagnant air trapped pollutants overnight; readings in zones such as Bawana, Jahangirpuri and Wazirpur were particularly alarming, topping 400 AQI points. Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management announced activation of Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi-NCR, triggering additional restrictions including bans on open-burning and intensified street-cleaning efforts.
On the regulatory front, a major policy shift this year allowed green cracker use after a long-standing near-total ban on firecrackers in the region. The Supreme Court’s order sought to strike a balance between tradition and air-quality concerns, but critics say the compromise lacked practical enforcement mechanisms. Environmental lawyer Aakash Vashishtha described the decision as a “legalised disaster”, pointing out that green variants still emit around 70 per cent of the pollutants of conventional types and that on-ground verification of compliance is weak.
Health authorities note that the surge in pollutants poses heightened risks especially for children, the elderly and those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. A senior chest-medicine consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital warned that fireworks can exacerbate exposure when baseline air pollution is already elevated, resulting in coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
Efforts are under way to manage the fallout. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has dispatched mechanised sweepers, water-sprinklers and anti-smog guns across road-lengths totalling more than 1,600 km and deployed over 52,000 sanitation workers to remove post-festive debris and minimise dust re-suspension. At the same time, authorities are scrutinising firecracker sales, verifying QR codes and cracking down on those purporting to sell uncertified products.
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