Delhi residents awoke to a severe toxic haze on Tuesday, with air quality indices soaring to “very poor” levels, despite court-mandated restrictions on fireworks during Diwali celebrations. The city was enveloped in thick smog, reducing visibility and posing significant health risks due to pollutant levels far exceeding safe limits.
On the morning of October 21, 2025, the Indian capital faced hazardous air conditions, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 360, categorizing it as “very poor” according to government data. Visibility was severely impaired, and residents reported a familiar smoky smell and ash taste in the air, making outdoor activities challenging. This spike in pollution followed a night of Diwali festivities, where many people defied the Supreme Court’s order to use only environmentally friendly “green” crackers for limited hours.
The deterioration in air quality is largely attributed to the widespread bursting of firecrackers, both traditional and green, late into Monday night. Despite a ban on firecrackers in Delhi since 2020, enforcement was lax, and crackers were readily available in markets. The court had relaxed the blanket ban to allow green crackers, which manufacturers claim emit 20-30% fewer pollutants, but their use extended beyond the prescribed time windows, exacerbating the pollution.
Delhi’s AQI measures PM2.5 particles, fine particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause respiratory diseases. The recorded levels were approximately 24 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended safe limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter over a 24-hour period. Such conditions heighten risks for vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health issues, leading to increased hospital admissions for breathing problems.
This incident worsens Delhi’s chronic pollution problem, which intensifies annually during winter due to factors like crop residue burning in neighboring states, low wind speeds that trap pollutants, and high vehicular emissions. In the days leading up to Diwali, the city had already been experiencing “very poor” air quality, with AQI consistently above 300, setting the stage for the post-festival haze.
Authorities responded by invoking Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), imposing restrictions on the use of diesel generators and the burning of coal and firewood to mitigate pollution. However, the immediate impact has been limited, as residents described the air quality as equally bad in both densely populated and rural areas of the capital, highlighting the persistent enforcement challenges.
Experts express concern that the relaxation of cracker rules could undermine the growing public awareness about air pollution dangers developed in recent years. The situation underscores the difficulty of balancing cultural traditions with environmental health, calling for stricter enforcement, public education, and long-term strategies to address the root causes of pollution in one of the world’s most polluted cities.