📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Fredericknoronha
Weather
Severe haze engulfs Delhi on Diwali morning as AQI reaches ‘severe’ level
✍️ The Week
🗓 08 Nov 2026, 03:17 PM
👁 17
A toxic haze spread across Delhi on the morning of Diwali, pushing the air‑quality index in several parts of the city into the severe category and prompting health advisories.
Delhi woke up to a thick, toxic haze on the morning of Diwali, as monitoring stations reported the air‑quality index (AQI) climbing into the severe bracket across multiple zones. The sudden deterioration in air quality has been attributed to a combination of seasonal pollutants and the festive use of firecrackers, though officials have not released precise source data.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee issued an advisory urging residents, especially children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor activities and keep windows closed. Schools in several districts delayed morning assemblies, and public transport operators advised commuters to wear masks.
Health experts warned that prolonged exposure to such high AQI levels can exacerbate asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory ailments. The city’s emergency response teams remain on standby to assist vulnerable populations, and the state government has pledged to intensify real‑time monitoring throughout the festival period.
Authorities are also reviewing temporary restrictions on firecracker sales and usage in an effort to curb further spikes in pollution. Citizens are encouraged to stay informed through official alerts and to adopt precautionary measures until the air quality improves.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee issued an advisory urging residents, especially children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor activities and keep windows closed. Schools in several districts delayed morning assemblies, and public transport operators advised commuters to wear masks.
Health experts warned that prolonged exposure to such high AQI levels can exacerbate asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory ailments. The city’s emergency response teams remain on standby to assist vulnerable populations, and the state government has pledged to intensify real‑time monitoring throughout the festival period.
Authorities are also reviewing temporary restrictions on firecracker sales and usage in an effort to curb further spikes in pollution. Citizens are encouraged to stay informed through official alerts and to adopt precautionary measures until the air quality improves.