New Delhi: Delhi’s air quality took a sharp hit following Diwali celebrations, slipping deep into the “very poor” category by early Tuesday morning.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 346 at 5.30 am, with most neighbourhoods entering the red zone.

Despite the Supreme Court ’s conditional relaxation allowing the use of “green” firecrackers between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali night, fireworks continued well past the permitted hours, leaving the city shrouded in haze by midnight.

By 10 pm Monday, 36 of the 38 air quality monitoring stations had recorded pollution levels ranging from “very poor” to “severe.” The worst-hit locations included Dwarka (417), Ashok Vihar (404), Wazirpur (423), and Anand Vihar (404) — all reg

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