Day after Diwali, Delhi chokes as AQI shoots up despite green crackers curbs

Delhi woke up to a blanket of smog and ‘very poor’ air quality on Tuesday morning, the day after Diwali, as the Air Quality Index (AQI) spiked to 347 at 7:00 am, according to reports citing data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

This marks only a marginal improvement from last year, when the AQI was recorded at 359 at 6:30 am post-Diwali.

In an attempt to balance public health concerns with the interests of the firecracker industry, the Supreme Court had permitted the sale and use of green crackers on Diwali.

#WATCH | Visuals from near INA and AIIMS as GRAP-2 invoked in Delhi; shot at 7:05 AM

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/HP3HkeNcDC

— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2025

The court allowed their use in Delhi only between 6:00 am to 7:00 am and 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm on the days leading up to and on Diwali, i.e., October 20 and 21.

Most areas across the national capital reported worrying levels of pollution. At Anand Vihar, PM 2.5 was measured at 358 and PM 10 at 340, according to a NDTV report.

Wazirpur recorded an AQI of 408, crossing into the ‘severe’ category, with PM 2.5 as the major pollutant.

Delhi | The Air Quality Index (AQI) around Chandni Chowk, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Rohini and Okhla Phase 2 were recorded at 326, 318, 372 and 353 respectively in the 'Very Poor' category, in Delhi this morning as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). pic.twitter.com/9cgydHUl2R

— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2025

In RK Puram, the AQI was recorded at 368, while visuals from Dilli Haat, INA, showed thick smog reducing visibility, forcing motorists to switch on headlights during daytime hours.

#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

Despite the restriction, pollution levels in the city remained largely unchanged. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI, reported at 4:00 pm on Monday, stood at 345—still within the ‘very poor’ category, as per data from 38 out of 39 monitoring stations monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).