Diwali Celebrations Contribute to Worsening Air Quality in Delhi-NCR, Rainfall Offers Temporary Relief

Delhi and its adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) woke up to a thick layer of smog on Monday morning, a consequence of Diwali celebrations that involved widespread cracker bursting, exacerbating the already compromised air quality. Social media was flooded with images and videos depicting the dense haze blanketing various parts of Delhi, severely limiting visibility to just a few hundred meters.

As citizens navigated through the smoggy morning, the Air Quality Index (AQI) at multiple locations in Delhi-NCR hovered in the ‘severe’ or ‘severe plus’ category. However, a temporary respite ensued after intermittent rainfall on Friday, causing the average AQI to slip into the ‘poor category.’ Despite this brief improvement, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) forecasted on Sunday that the relief would be short-lived, anticipating a return to sooty conditions post-Diwali, leading to a further deterioration in air quality.

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