Delhi's air took a beating this Diwali. The capital recorded its highest Diwali-day pollution levels in five years, with little relief the following morning as smog and fog continued to blanket the city, PTI reported.
On Diwali, which fell on November 8 this year, Delhi's average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 376. This was the highest Diwali-day reading since 2021, when the AQI reached 382, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
The readings were lower in each of the four intervening years. Delhi's average Diwali AQI stood at 345 in 2025, 328 in 2024, 218 in 2023 and 312 in 2022.
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Diwali falls on different dates in October or November every year, depending on the Hindu lunar calendar. This year, the festival was celebrated on November 8, compared with October 20 in 2025, October 31 in 2024, November 12 in 2023, October 24 in 2022 and November 4 in 2021.
Delhi's Air Quality Remains 'Very Poor' The Morning After
Pollution levels remained elevated on Monday, with the overall AQI at 370 at 8 am before rising marginally to 371 at 10 am. This was the highest 10 am reading recorded on a post-Diwali day since 2021.
Of the 51 monitoring stations that reported data, 33 recorded air quality in the 'very poor' category, while 14 were in the 'severe' category and four in the 'poor' category.
Delhi Technological University (DTU) recorded the highest AQI at 439, placing it in the 'severe' category.
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What The AQI Categories Mean
The CPCB classifies air quality on a scale of 0 to 500. An AQI reading of up to 50 is considered 'good', while 51 to 100 is 'satisfactory' and 101 to 200 is 'moderate'. Readings between 201 and 300 fall under the 'poor' category, while 301 to 400 are classified as 'very poor'. Any reading above 400 is considered 'severe'.
According to the CPCB, prolonged exposure to 'poor' air quality can cause breathing discomfort in most people. 'Very poor' air can lead to respiratory illness on prolonged exposure, while 'severe' pollution can affect even healthy people and seriously impact those with existing health conditions.
How Delhi's Post-Diwali AQI Compared With Previous Years
Delhi has also recorded high pollution levels on several post-Diwali days in recent years. The full-day average AQI on the day after the festival stood at 351 in 2025, 338 in 2024, 360 in 2023 and 302 in 2022.
The highest reading during this period was recorded in 2021, when the post-Diwali full-day average AQI surged to 462.
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Delhi Police Warns Against Bursting Crackers After November 8
Delhi Police has reminded residents that firecrackers were permitted only on November 7 and 8 this year. In a post on X, it urged people not to burst crackers beyond the permitted dates and asked them to "follow the rules" and "celebrate responsibly".
(With PTI inputs.)
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