Published on : 21 Oct 2025, 11:48 am Summary

Delhi's air quality plummeted during Diwali, with PM2.5 levels spiking nearly sevenfold by evening.

This was despite fewer farm fires and milder weather.

The city's AQI reached 'Very Poor' levels, highlighting the persistent issue of local pollution sources overshadowing external factors.

The air in Delhi always starts to feel different by mid-October — a little cooler, a little stiller and a little heavier. This year was no exception. As the city prepared for Diwali, the familiar haze began to creep in. It wasn’t sudden; the numbers had already started whispering the story.

On October 10, the 24-hour average PM2.5 levels stood at 64 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg / m3), safely within limits. But over the following 10 days, the numb

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