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Severe smog engulfs Delhi on Diwali eve, AQI set to worsen
✍️ TOI City
🗓 08 Nov 2026, 05:14 AM
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Delhi's air quality index hit 369 on Nov 6, placing the city in the severe range, and forecasts predict further deterioration over the next two days.
Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index of 369 on 6 November, pushing the capital into the "severe" pollution bracket. The reading, just short of the highest alert level, reflects a sharp rise in particulate matter as the city prepares for Diwali celebrations.
Meteorological forecasts for 8 and 9 November indicate that the AQI will remain in the severe category, with daily values oscillating between "severe" and "very poor" for the next six days. Officials attribute the surge to a combination of firecracker emissions, heavy vehicular traffic, and smoke from agricultural stubble burning in neighboring states.
Health agencies have issued advisories urging residents, especially children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor exposure and use masks. The Delhi government is monitoring the situation closely and has readied emergency response measures, including temporary restrictions on certain firecracker types and increased public transport services to curb traffic emissions.
Meteorological forecasts for 8 and 9 November indicate that the AQI will remain in the severe category, with daily values oscillating between "severe" and "very poor" for the next six days. Officials attribute the surge to a combination of firecracker emissions, heavy vehicular traffic, and smoke from agricultural stubble burning in neighboring states.
Health agencies have issued advisories urging residents, especially children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor exposure and use masks. The Delhi government is monitoring the situation closely and has readied emergency response measures, including temporary restrictions on certain firecracker types and increased public transport services to curb traffic emissions.