Fireworks send Delhi air pollution 56 times above safe limit

October 21, 2025 / 11:45 AM

Sharjah24 - AFP: The air quality in New Delhi plummeted to hazardous levels early Tuesday following massive Diwali firework celebrations, with pollution soaring to more than 56 times the UN’s safe limit, according to air-quality tracker IQAir.

Despite the Supreme Court’s relaxation of its firework ban — allowing “green firecrackers” designed to emit fewer pollutants — the rule was widely ignored, as in previous years. Environmental groups have questioned the effectiveness of these supposedly cleaner alternatives.

Dangerous PM2.5 levels

In the hours following midnight, PM2.5 concentrations reached an alarming 846 micrograms per cubic meter in several parts of the capital — far exceeding the World Health Organisation’s recommended daily maximum.

By morning, levels fell to around 320 micrograms, still about 23 times above WHO limits, yet typical for Delhi’s winter pollution season. The city consistently ranks among the most polluted capitals in the world.

Health risks and warnings

A Lancet Planetary Health study estimated that 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to air pollution. The UNICEF has also warned that children are particularly vulnerable, facing increased risks of acute respiratory infections and long-term health complications from toxic air.