Diwali Air Pollution Delhi: As India celebrated Diwali, the national capital woke up to another familiar crisis – a toxic haze blanketing its skyline. Pollution levels in Delhi soared to alarming levels, with several people reporting Air Quality Index (AQI) figures nearing or even exceeding 1,000, far beyond the “severe” category.
Delhi Citizens Report ‘Hazardous’ Air Quality on Diwali
Throughout Monday night and early Tuesday, Delhi residents flooded social media with screenshots and photos showing extreme pollution readings.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj posted late-night AQI readings from various Delhi localities. According to the screenshots he shared, the Defence Colony area recorded an AQI of 1,074 at 10:30 pm, while Naraina Village reached an astonishing 1,768 at 11:14 pm on Monday.
Delhi | The Air Quality Index (AQI) around Anand Vihar, ITO, Lodhi Road and IGI Airport was recorded at 358, 347, 329, 313 respectively in the ‘Very Poor’ category, in Delhi this morning as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). pic.twitter.com/nuy7flGaDv
— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2025
Despite these alarming figures, official data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed Delhi’s overall AQI at 350 at 8 am on Tuesday, still classified as “very poor.”
Also Read: AQI Update A Day After Diwali: Delhi Wakes Up Under Toxic Smog, AQI Levels Up
CAQM Enforces Stage 2 of Anti-Pollution Measures
In response to deteriorating air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had already invoked Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region on Sunday.
An official CAQM order stated, “Actions under Stage I and II of the extant GRAP shall be implemented, monitored, and reviewed in earnest by all concerned agencies in the entire NCR to ensure that AQI levels do not slip further. All implementing agencies shall maintain a strict vigil and intensify measures to the extent specified in the GRAP schedule. Citizens may be requested to strictly adhere to the citizen charter under GRAP Stage-I & II.”
• Delhi’s AQI: 1838
• Noida’s AQI: 1017
• Gurgaon’s AQI: 1035
• Ghaziabad’s AQI: 1358
Health Emergency in Delhi-NCR. pic.twitter.com/dUeuW9AZ8E
— Mohit Chauhan (@mohitlaws) October 20, 2025
Supreme Court’s Conditional Nod for Green Crackers on Diwali 2025
Just days before Diwali, the Supreme Court lifted the four-year ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR, allowing the sale and use of certified green crackers between October 18 and 21. The decision was seen as an attempt to strike a balance between protecting public health and supporting the fireworks industry.
AQI of Delhi is now at an unprecedented level
– Tigri Extension : 2037
– Bawana : 1455
– Defence Colony : 1074
This is a climate emergency, but who cares, Fake religious pride first, health later.
Congrats BJP. pic.twitter.com/sqOuSdXYfx
— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) October 20, 2025
The court’s order specified that each firecracker must carry a QR code verifying certification, and bursting would only be allowed between 6:00 am to 7:00 am and 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Did ‘Green Crackers’ Fail Delhi?
The Supreme Court had first imposed a ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR in 2014-15, in response to rising pollution levels. Yet, year after year, the city has continued to record “very poor” to “severe” AQI levels during the festive season.
This year’s reintroduction of green crackers, touted as producing 30% less pollution, appears to have made little difference. Environmentalists have long questioned their efficacy, arguing that the distinction between regular and “green” fireworks is marginal when the baseline pollution is already extreme.
#WATCH | Visuals from near Dilli Haat INA as GRAP-2 invoked in Delhi.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) around the RK Puram was recorded at 368, in the ‘Very Poor’ category, in Delhi this morning as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). pic.twitter.com/SbDigf1Zfk
— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2025
Environmental activists have sharply criticized the idea that green crackers were a viable solution.
Also Read: Diwali Evening Brings Sudden Spike In Delhi Pollution, 24 Zones Turn Red
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
