📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Weather
Delhi Air Quality Monitors Fail as AQI Rises on Diwali
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 10 Nov 2026, 10:16 PM
👁 17
On Diwali night, several Delhi air quality sensors went offline as particulate levels spiked, leaving the AQI data blank. Authorities are investigating the cause.
On the night of Diwali, Delhi’s air quality monitoring network experienced a sudden outage, with several sensors going dark and leaving the AQI readings blank.
The blackout coincided with a sharp rise in particulate matter, with PM2.5 levels reported above 300 µg/m³ in some parts of the city—well beyond the safe threshold.
Officials attribute the spike to fireworks, increased vehicular traffic and temporary industrial activity. The Delhi Pollution Control Board has launched an investigation into the malfunction.
The incident underscores the need for resilient monitoring infrastructure during festive periods, as Delhi has long struggled with high pollution levels.
The blackout coincided with a sharp rise in particulate matter, with PM2.5 levels reported above 300 µg/m³ in some parts of the city—well beyond the safe threshold.
Officials attribute the spike to fireworks, increased vehicular traffic and temporary industrial activity. The Delhi Pollution Control Board has launched an investigation into the malfunction.
The incident underscores the need for resilient monitoring infrastructure during festive periods, as Delhi has long struggled with high pollution levels.