Delhi air quality enters very poor category ahead of Diwali
Authorities have invoked Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan as the capital's air quality index crosses 300.
Air quality in Delhi has deteriorated into the "very poor" category as the city prepares for the Diwali festival, according to reports by BBC News and Scroll. On Monday morning, the city recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 307, with Jahangirpuri in northwestern Delhi reaching 417, according to the Sameer application.
The worsening conditions have prompted authorities to invoke Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). This emergency measure includes increased public transport services, such as 20 additional weekday Delhi Metro trips, higher parking charges to limit private vehicles, and more intensive road cleaning.
The pollution spike follows an unusually clean October, which saw the city's lowest average monthly AQI in eight years. Experts suggest the decline is linked to falling temperatures, low wind speeds, and increased crop-residue burning in Punjab and Haryana.
On Monday, the Supreme Court permitted the limited use of certified green firecrackers in Delhi and surrounding areas. These may only be used between 06:00 and 07:00, and between 20:00 and 22:00 on 7 and 8 November, with a ban remaining in place near hospitals and schools.
In Patna, the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) has expanded air and noise monitoring from 1 November to 15 November. This temporary network aims to compare pollution levels before, during, and after the Diwali celebrations.