📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Sumita Roy Dutta
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Severe smog engulfs Delhi on Deepavali night, AQI hits ‘severe’ level at 20 stations
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 09 Nov 2026, 03:32 AM
👁 18
Delhi was cloaked in thick smog on Deepavali night, with the Air Quality Index recorded as ‘severe’ at 20 monitoring stations across the capital.
The capital city of India experienced a dense blanket of smog on the night of Deepavali, prompting health officials to issue warnings about air quality. Data from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee showed that the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 20 monitoring stations across the city reached the ‘severe’ category, indicating hazardous conditions for residents.
The spike in particulate matter coincided with festive fireworks and a seasonal rise in temperature, both of which are known to exacerbate pollution levels. Authorities advised vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments, to limit outdoor exposure and keep windows closed.
Transportation services continued to operate, but commuters reported reduced visibility and a noticeable haze that lingered throughout the night. The city’s municipal corporation has pledged to intensify real‑time monitoring and to explore immediate mitigation measures ahead of upcoming festivals.
Environmental experts cautioned that repeated episodes of severe smog could have long‑term health impacts, urging citizens to adopt cleaner practices and support stricter emission controls.
The spike in particulate matter coincided with festive fireworks and a seasonal rise in temperature, both of which are known to exacerbate pollution levels. Authorities advised vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments, to limit outdoor exposure and keep windows closed.
Transportation services continued to operate, but commuters reported reduced visibility and a noticeable haze that lingered throughout the night. The city’s municipal corporation has pledged to intensify real‑time monitoring and to explore immediate mitigation measures ahead of upcoming festivals.
Environmental experts cautioned that repeated episodes of severe smog could have long‑term health impacts, urging citizens to adopt cleaner practices and support stricter emission controls.