New Delhi : The air pollution in Delhi has worsened, as air quality dropped to the ‘poor’ category, even as the national capital eagerly prepares to celebrate Diwali with Supreme Court-mandated green crackers within specified hours. Consequently, Delhi air pollution rises ahead of Diwali, raising concern among residents.
As of 8.00 a.m. on Friday, Delhi recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 240, indicating ‘poor’ air quality. This spike in pollution highlights the urgent need for preventive measures.
Among Delhi-NCR cities, AQI levels also raised alarms: Faridabad hit 158, Gurugram 150, Ghaziabad 165, Greater Noida 148, and Noida 145. Meanwhile, most areas in the national capital reported AQI levels between 200 and 300, reflecting moderate to poor conditions and a significant Delhi air pollution rise ahead of Diwali.
At prominent locations like India Gate, smog enveloped the area, signaling the early onset of the city’s annual winter pollution crisis.
The Supreme Court recently permitted the sale and bursting of firecrackers, which are considered less polluting during Diwali. However, air quality dipped to ‘very poor’ levels in Delhi.
To address the seasonal pollution spike that typically occurs from October to February, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched a comprehensive Winter Action Plan for 2025–26. Moreover, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa unveiled the initiative on Thursday.
The plan outlines 25 key measures under seven themes: road dust, vehicular emissions, industrial and power sector pollution, open burning and solid waste, citizen engagement, monitoring, and green innovation. In addition, officials will execute the plan in coordination with over 30 departments and agencies across the capital.
During a high-level review meeting, Minister Sirsa directed senior officials to implement the plan strictly and on time, supported by real-time monitoring through the Green War Room. Authorities in PWD, MCD, NDMC, DSIIDC, DPCC, Transport Department, and Delhi Police will take accountability.
“Compliance will remain non-negotiable this winter,” Sirsa said.
He added, “We are scaling up dust control, enforcing construction norms, promoting PNG use in industries, and applying targeted enforcement with precision and speed.”
All 30 stakeholder agencies will coordinate daily via the Green War Room. Furthermore, Sirsa highlighted citizen participation, urging residents to use the Green Delhi App, follow GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) advisories, and prefer public transport and electric vehicles.
To tackle road dust, authorities deployed 86 mechanical road sweepers, 300 water sprinklers, and 362 anti-smog guns across the city. They are procuring 70 additional sweepers and related dust-control equipment. Moreover, officials will vacuum-sweep all major roads under PWD, MCD, NDMC, and DSIIDC with increased frequency, while enforcing strict 14-point dust control norms at construction sites.
–IANS
