📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Fredericknoronha
Health
Delhi braces for hazardous air as Diwali fireworks threaten to worsen pollution
✍️ Amar Ujala · Delhi
🗓 08 Nov 2026, 02:01 PM
👁 20
Experts warn that smoke from Diwali firecrackers could push Delhi's already poor air quality into dangerous levels, prompting calls for stricter controls.
Delhi's air quality, already strained by winter smog, faces an added threat as households across the capital prepare to light firecrackers for Diwali. The combustion of fireworks releases fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and toxic gases that can quickly elevate pollution indices, potentially breaching the National Air Quality Index's hazardous threshold.
Health officials have cautioned that short‑term spikes in PM2.5 can aggravate respiratory conditions, especially among children, the elderly and those with pre‑existing heart or lung diseases. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee is monitoring real‑time data and has urged citizens to limit firecracker usage and opt for greener alternatives.
While the municipal administration has previously explored cloud‑seeding and artificial rain to mitigate smog, the immediate focus remains on curbing firecracker emissions. Authorities are expected to enforce existing bans on illegal firecrackers and increase patrolling in residential areas during the festival period.
The public is advised to stay indoors during peak firecracker hours, keep windows closed, and use air purifiers where possible. Continued vigilance will be essential to prevent a surge in health‑related emergencies as the festive celebrations unfold.
Health officials have cautioned that short‑term spikes in PM2.5 can aggravate respiratory conditions, especially among children, the elderly and those with pre‑existing heart or lung diseases. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee is monitoring real‑time data and has urged citizens to limit firecracker usage and opt for greener alternatives.
While the municipal administration has previously explored cloud‑seeding and artificial rain to mitigate smog, the immediate focus remains on curbing firecracker emissions. Authorities are expected to enforce existing bans on illegal firecrackers and increase patrolling in residential areas during the festival period.
The public is advised to stay indoors during peak firecracker hours, keep windows closed, and use air purifiers where possible. Continued vigilance will be essential to prevent a surge in health‑related emergencies as the festive celebrations unfold.