Delhi air quality worsens ahead of Diwali as firework restrictions enter force

What the report says

Delhi is facing another sharp deterioration in air quality just days before Diwali, according to BBC World News. On Wednesday morning, the city’s Air Quality Index stood at 377, placing it in the “very poor” range and renewing health concerns for residents, especially children, older people and those with existing respiratory conditions. The worsening comes as winter approaches, a period when pollution typically intensifies across the capital and much of northern India.

The report says Delhi authorities have activated Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan, which brings measures aimed at reducing dust, vehicle emissions and other pollution sources. The timing is especially sensitive because Diwali celebrations often involve fireworks, which can add more smoke and fine particles to already polluted air. BBC News notes that pollution in the region is driven by several overlapping factors, including traffic exhaust, industrial activity, lower temperatures, weak winds and crop-residue burning in neighbouring states.

India’s Supreme Court has now allowed the limited use of certified “green” firecrackers in Delhi and nearby areas for two days during the Diwali weekend, with strict time windows and bans near hospitals, schools and other silence zones. The court also ordered police checks on sales areas and QR-code verification to curb illegal fireworks. The BBC says enforcing such restrictions remains difficult, as past bans have not fully prevented conventional firecrackers from reaching the market.