Delhi air pollution reaches severe levels after Diwali celebrations
Environmentalists have termed the deteriorating air quality in the national capital a public health emergency as AQI crossed 400 in several areas.
Delhi's air quality deteriorated to the 'severe' category on Monday morning, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 368. According to reports from ANI and Urban Acres, several monitoring stations recorded readings above 400 following widespread firecracker use on Sunday night.
Environmentalist Bhavreen Kandhari told ANI that the city was already struggling with toxic air before Diwali and that firecracker emissions added a massive burden of particulate pollution. She noted that the official AQI scale, which goes up to 500, classifies anything above 400 as 'severe'.
Environmentalist Vimlendu Jha also criticised the failure to enforce restrictions on firecrackers, stating that crackers were burst in several parts of Delhi despite Supreme Court directions. Jha said that while AQI levels were around 400 before celebrations, private monitors recorded readings between 1,200 and 1,500 after firecrackers were lit.
Visibility in the capital was reduced significantly, falling to 50 metres at Safdarjung Airport at 5:30 am. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted 'severe' category air pollution for November 8 and November 9.
Congress leader and former union minister Ajay Maken alleged on X that no PM2.5 data was recorded at 25 out of 39 stations in Delhi between 2:00 am and 3:00 am on the night of November 8–9. He cited Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data to support his claim regarding the missing readings at various locations.
In adjoining regions, Bahadurgarh in Haryana reported an AQI of 395 at 9 am on Monday, while Gurugram reported an AQI of 328 at the same time.