📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Goutam1962
Health
Delhi’s AQI spikes to 413 after Diwali fireworks, air quality plummets
✍️ Amar Ujala · Delhi
🗓 09 Nov 2026, 04:01 AM
👁 20
The Central Pollution Control Board recorded an AQI of 413 in Delhi at 1 a.m. on the night of Diwali, indicating severe air‑quality deterioration caused by extensive fireworks.
Delhi’s air quality deteriorated sharply after the Diwali celebrations, with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reporting an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 413 at 1 a.m. on the night of the festival. The reading places the city in the ‘severe’ category, signalling hazardous conditions for residents.
The spike is attributed to the extensive use of fireworks across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), which released large quantities of particulate matter and other pollutants into the atmosphere. The CPCB’s real‑time monitoring network captured the rise in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations that drove the AQI to its current level.
Health officials have warned that exposure to such high pollution levels can aggravate respiratory ailments, especially among children, the elderly and those with pre‑existing conditions. Citizens are advised to limit outdoor activities, keep windows closed, and use masks if they must venture outside.
The city’s authorities have previously urged restraint in firecracker usage, citing environmental and health concerns. The latest data underscores the need for stricter enforcement of existing regulations to mitigate air‑quality impacts during festive periods.
Monitoring will continue throughout the night, and the CPCB will update the public as the AQI trends evolve, aiming to provide timely guidance for public health protection.
The spike is attributed to the extensive use of fireworks across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), which released large quantities of particulate matter and other pollutants into the atmosphere. The CPCB’s real‑time monitoring network captured the rise in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations that drove the AQI to its current level.
Health officials have warned that exposure to such high pollution levels can aggravate respiratory ailments, especially among children, the elderly and those with pre‑existing conditions. Citizens are advised to limit outdoor activities, keep windows closed, and use masks if they must venture outside.
The city’s authorities have previously urged restraint in firecracker usage, citing environmental and health concerns. The latest data underscores the need for stricter enforcement of existing regulations to mitigate air‑quality impacts during festive periods.
Monitoring will continue throughout the night, and the CPCB will update the public as the AQI trends evolve, aiming to provide timely guidance for public health protection.