NEW DELHI, India | November 7, 2026 | India’s capital, New Delhi, ranked as the world’s most polluted major city on Saturday, according to Swiss air-quality monitoring group IQAir, as hazardous smog intensified ahead of Diwali celebrations expected to bring additional pollution from widespread fireworks use.
IQAir recorded a US Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 581 for Delhi at 10:35 a.m. local time, placing it ahead of neighbouring Lahore, Pakistan, which registered 285. India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), using a different measurement system, recorded Delhi’s AQI at 363 at 10 a.m., classified as “very poor.”
The figures are based on different scales and methodologies and should not be directly compared. Nevertheless, both monitoring systems indicated serious air-quality concerns in the Indian capital ahead of Sunday’s Hindu festival of lights.
According to Reuters, Friday’s air quality was the worst recorded in Delhi on the eve of Diwali in eight years, based on local media reports citing official data.
In response to deteriorating conditions, Indian authorities ordered schools in and around Delhi to offer online classes and encouraged residents to work from home. Officials also urged people to postpone private gatherings and asked local governments to consider allowing half of public- and private-sector employees to work remotely.
The Commission for Air Quality Management activated emergency pollution-control measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which provides for progressively stricter restrictions as air quality deteriorates.
The worsening pollution reflects a combination of seasonal and human-related factors. Delhi’s air quality typically deteriorates during the colder months as low temperatures, weak winds and stagnant atmospheric conditions trap pollutants close to the ground.
Major contributors include vehicle emissions, industrial activity, construction dust, waste burning and smoke from agricultural crop-residue burning in neighbouring states. Firecrackers add another significant source of particulate pollution during Diwali, potentially worsening an already hazardous situation.
The health consequences are particularly concerning for children, older people and individuals with existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. Medical experts have warned that exposure to polluted air can cause persistent coughing, airway inflammation and asthma attacks, while prolonged exposure is associated with increased risks of heart disease, stroke and impaired lung development in children.
Health experts recommend checking local air-quality readings, avoiding strenuous outdoor activities during periods of heavy pollution, using properly fitted N95 or N99 masks outdoors and operating suitable air purifiers indoors. They also advise avoiding firecrackers, incense and other sources of indoor smoke.
Delhi’s pollution crisis has repeatedly prompted legal intervention. In November 2016, India’s Supreme Court suspended existing licences for the sale of firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region following a severe deterioration in air quality after Diwali. The court subsequently adopted a graded approach to restrictions in 2017, recognizing the need to address pollution while considering the interests of businesses involved in the fireworks industry.
The issue has remained a subject of continuing legal and environmental action, including further Supreme Court proceedings on firecracker restrictions in 2025.
Diwali, celebrated by hundreds of millions of people across the world, symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. However, the recurring pollution crisis in northern India has intensified calls for celebrations that protect public health while preserving the festival’s cultural and religious significance.
The latest readings underscore the continuing challenge facing Indian authorities: controlling the sources of pollution requires more than temporary restrictions during festivals. Sustained action against vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, construction dust, agricultural burning and other contributors will be essential to improving air quality in Delhi and surrounding communities.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
