The national capital, Delhi, woke up to ‘very poor’ air after a night of fireworks on Diwali, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 347 at 7 am. In comparison, last year, the AQI was recorded at 359 at 6:30 in the morning after Diwali, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
The Supreme Court had allowed the sale and use of green crackers on Diwali this year in an attempt to strike a balance between interests of the industry and public health.
#WATCH | Visuals from the India Gate as GRAP-2 invoked in Delhi.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) around the India Gate was recorded at 342, in the ‘Severe’ category, in Delhi this morning as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). pic.twitter.com/ZUwDCWpdT8
— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2025
#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 AQI this morning is similar to what it was recorded on Diwali evening. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI, which is reported at 4 pm every day, remained in the ‘very poor’ category at 345 on Monday, based on the data from 38 out of 39 monitory stations, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).’
Prolonged exposure to “very poor” air can cause respiratory illness, as per the CPCB.
Also Read: Less Harmful, But Not Harmless: Delhi Divided Over Green Crackers Ruling
Macroscopic View Of Delhi’s Air Pollution
Majority of the 38 monitoring stations in the city reported AQI in ‘very poor’ category. For example, PM 2.5 recorded at 358 and PM 10 at 340 at Anand Vihar station. However, Wazirpur station recorded AQI at 408, falling under the severe category, with major pollutant being PM 2.5.
Visuals from near Dilli Haat, INA showed people driving with headlight on as smog distorted the view. The AQI around RK Puram was recorded at 368.
#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
What Is AQI?
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a public health tool designed to communicate air pollution levels or the quality of air in simple terms. Eight pollutants namely particulate matter (PM) 10, PM2.5, Ozone (O3), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), lead (Pb) and ammonia (NH3) act as major parameters in deriving the AQI of an area.
As per CPCB’s (Central Pollution Control Board) air quality standards, AQI is categorised into six parts. AQI between 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and between 401-500 ‘severe’.
Delhi Shines With Green Crackers
The Supreme Court on October 15 allowed bursting green crackers in Delhi between October 20 and 21. A blanket ban on firecrackers does not help as people “smuggle” conventional firecrackers which cause a “more damaging effect than the green crackers now developed,” the bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran said.
“The district administration and the police shall ensure that use of firecrackers shall be confined between 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM on the two days i.e., the one before and on the Diwali day,” the court said.
Green crackers are said to produce 30 per cent less pollution.
What Are Green Crackers
Green crackers are said to produce 30 per cent less pollution than conventional firecrackers as they contain less amounts of chemicals like barium, aluminum, and include additives that suppress dust and smoke. They have been developed by CSIR-NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute).
Also Read: “A Cracker Is A Cracker”: Top Chest Surgeon Warns Over Use Of Green Crackers