New Delhi woke up to severe smog on Monday, with the Air Quality Index exceeding 350 in several areas after Diwali firecrackers added to already dangerous seasonal pollution.
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A thick blanket of smog shrouded India’s capital early Monday after firecrackers lit up the skies over New Delhi during Diwali celebrations, compounding dangerously high pollution levels and intensifying the seasonal air pollution crisis that returns each year.
Despite restrictions on fireworks, residents celebrated the Hindu festival of lights with firecrackers on Sunday evening, releasing smoke and fine particulate matter into the atmosphere. Monitoring stations across the city recorded similarly alarming levels, and visibility deteriorated as a gray haze covered streets and high-rise buildings. The Air Quality Index exceeded 350 in several parts of the capital on Monday morning, placing the readings in the severe category and posing significant health risks.
The scale of the problem is shaped by timing and conditions: pollution worsens when Diwali fireworks coincide with cooler weather and smoke from crop-residue fires in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana. After harvesting rice, farmers often burn leftover stalks, and the resulting smoke drifts toward New Delhi.
Authorities have implemented measures to curb pollution, including limits on construction activity and restrictions on diesel generators, while India’s Supreme Court sought to limit Diwali pollution in October by restricting conventional firecrackers and allowing only approved “green firecrackers” under specified conditions for three-hour windows on Saturday and Sunday. The court noted the emissions would be lower, but “green firecrackers” are not pollution-free and still release particulate matter and other pollutants. Environmentalists said long-term solutions, such as cleaner energy and stricter controls on vehicle emissions, are needed to prevent the annual crisis.
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