Delhi’s air quality has once again taken a sharp downturn, with the city shrouded in a familiar post-Diwali haze. The government’s recent assertion that pollution levels have declined under its administration rings hollow, as the capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stubbornly remained in the “very poor" category throughout the festive week of October 18-23, 2025. The Supreme Court’s permission for “green crackers", granted at the state’s request, did little to ease the smog that blanketed the city soon after celebrations.

During the week, Delhi’s average AQI hovered around 340, worsening after Diwali due to low wind speeds that prevented pollutants from dispersing. The government has faced growing criticism but has not issued an official response. Health experts warn that the spike in AQI poses a severe threat to vulnerable populations, particularly children, the elderly, and those with respiratory diseases.

The claim that post-Diwali pollution has fallen this year collapses when examined against meteorological data and particulate-matter levels from previous years. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), hourly variations in PM₂.₅ concentrations before, during, and after Diwali clearly reveal short-term but acute........

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