Delhi Air ‘Very Poor To Severe’ Post-Diwali As CM Rekha Gupta Says Pollution Lower Than Last Year Despite Crackers
Post-Diwali, Delhi's air quality plummeted to "very poor" and "severe" levels, amid claims from CM Gupta that pollution was lower than last year. CPCB data showed high AQI readings across the city.
Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further on Wednesday, recording its highest Air Quality Index (AQI) of the season as calm winds failed to disperse pollutants. The city’s air quality has now been classified in the ‘very poor’ category for three consecutive days, with a visible haze blanketing the region. Of the 39 active monitoring stations, three recorded ‘severe’ pollution levels even as Chief Minister Rekha Gupta claimed the national capital’s overall pollution this year was “less than last year”.
The 24-hour average AQI for Delhi stood at 353 at 4 pm on Wednesday, according to the daily bulletin released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This marks a slight increase from Tuesday’s reading of 351 and Monday’s 345, setting a new peak for the current season, news agency PTI reported. Tuesday, with an AQI over 350, was already identified as the sixth most polluted day of the year in Delhi. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) noted that October 20 and 21 saw the city’s worst PM2.5 pollution readings of 2025, excluding the month of January.
The slight deterioration in air quality is being directly linked to the absence of strong winds. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that wind speeds dropped again from Tuesday night as cooler temperatures set in.
The sharp decline in air quality followed the Supreme Court’s relaxation allowing the use of “green” firecrackers, which were considered less polluting but still contributed to a visible haze across the city. Delhi’s air quality touched a four-year high on Diwali, with PM2.5 levels peaking at 675, according to data cited by PTI.
Delhi’s Air Quality Worsens Across Neighbourhoods
CPCB data highlighted severe pollution levels in several localised areas of the capital. Of the 39 active monitoring stations, three recorded ‘severe’ pollution levels by 4 pm on Wednesday, with 33 others remaining in the ‘very poor’ zone.
The worst-affected locations included Nehru Nagar (AQI 411), which had a staggering PM2.5 reading of 1763µg/m³ (micrograms per cubic metre) recorded on Diwali. Other hotspots were Punjabi Bagh (406) and Wazirpur (406). Only three stations—Lodhi Road (230), DTU (216), and IGI Airport (294)—managed to record an AQI below the 300-mark.
The air quality crisis extended beyond Delhi, with multiple cities across Northern India reporting alarming levels of pollution.
Across the region, both Haryana and Uttar Pradesh reported high pollution concentrations this week, with nine cities in each state recording air quality in the ‘very poor’ category. Forecasts from the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) suggest that Delhi’s AQI is likely to stay in the ‘very poor’ band until Saturday, after which it may fluctuate between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ for the following six days, PTI reported. Maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hold in a similar range throughout the upcoming weekend.
‘Pollution Lower This Year Despite Crackers,’ Says CM Rekha Gupta
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday said air pollution in Delhi on Diwali night was “less this year compared to the previous year,” despite the allowance of firecrackers.
According to PTI, she pointed out that “the gap between pre- and post-Diwali average AQI this year is smaller than last year,” indicating some improvement in air management. Gupta also said her government was taking “all necessary steps with greater alertness” to curb pollution.
The Chief Minister announced that she would meet a Punjab minister on Thursday to discuss Delhi’s concerns over stubble burning, a recurring contributor to toxic winter smog. She said that the Delhi government would urge the Punjab administration to take stronger preventive measures, as stubble burning continues to remain one of the major seasonal pollutants in the NCR region.
Delhi Minister Alleges ‘Parali Burning Ploy’ in Punjab
Echoing Gupta’s remarks, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the city’s air quality index had risen marginally — from 341 before Diwali to 356 afterwards, an increase of just 11 points.
Sirsa also alleged that “farmers in Punjab were being forced and threatened to burn parali (paddy straw) on Diwali,” insinuating that it was part of a “ploy by the Aam Aadmi Party government in the state to worsen Delhi’s pollution levels.”
Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has already implemented Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR.
Measures include stricter enforcement against diesel generator sets, restrictions on non-CNG and non-electric interstate buses entering Delhi, and higher parking fees to discourage private vehicle use.
Despite these curbs, visibility remained low in parts of the city, prompting authorities to deploy mist sprayers and road dust suppression units along key routes, including Lodhi Road.
Wind Speeds Fail to Aid Dispersion
According to PTI, Krishna Mishra, senior scientist at IMD, elaborated on the conditions: “The wind direction has shifted from easterly to westerly, but speeds remain low. Nighttime winds are almost calm, and during the day they reach only 5-7 kmph.”
The scientist warned that favourable dispersion conditions are unlikely in the near future. He added that while a weak western disturbance is anticipated around October 27, “it is unlikely to bring significant rain or an increase in wind speeds.”
The city’s maximum temperature on Wednesday was 32.1 degrees Celsius, slightly below normal, though nighttime temperatures remained warm at 21.8 degrees Celsius, three degrees above average.
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