Delhi records worst post-Diwali air quality in 4 years; govt blames stubble burning in Punjab

NEW DELHI:  Delhi recorded its worst post-Diwali air quality in the last four years on Tuesday, with pollution levels spiking sharply the previous night as PM2.5 concentrations peaked at 675, while the BJP government attributed it to stubble burning in the AAP-ruled Punjab rather than firecrackers.

Delhi found itself enveloped in a thick grey haze and its air quality entered the “red zone” a day after Diwali, which saw cracker-bursting well beyond the two-hour limit (8 pm to 10 pm) set by the Supreme Court.

The city’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Diwali (Monday), reported at 4 pm, was in the “very poor” category at 345, compared to 330 in 2024, 218 in 2023, 312 in 2022 and 382 in 2021, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).(PTI)