Delhi’s Killer Smog Returns as Air Quality Dips to “Poor” Before Diwali

The dark days of Delhi are back. The day before Diwali, the national capital awoke to a blanket of smoke as the air quality remained in the "bad" category.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was 251 at 6.30 am (SAFAR).

Images taken in east Delhi near the Akshardham Temple showed limited visibility as cars traveled through pollution.

Over the previous few days, the national capital's air quality has gotten worse. The overall Delhi AQI last night was 266. At 327, the air quality in the vicinity of Delhi University qualified as "extremely poor."

An AQI of 0 to 50 is considered to be acceptable, 101 to 200 satisfactory, 201 to 300 bad, 301 to 400 very poor, and 401 to 500 severe.

Gopal Rai, the minister of environment for Delhi, announced Monday that the government has begun implementing its 15-point Winter Action Plan to combat air pollution.

In addition to other challenges, Mr. Rai stated that the action plan will concentrate on dust pollution, managing stubble, open burning of waste, and cracking down on firecrackers. When the proposal was first announced in October, the minister stated that 39% of Delhi's air pollution is caused locally, and the remaining 20% is caused by nearby National Capital Region communities.

The creation, storage, sale, and lighting of fireworks during Diwali are all prohibited by the Delhi government, and violators risk fines and jail time.

The Delhi government has launched the "Red Light on Gaadi Off" campaign to lessen traffic pollution. Public figures and officials will encourage commuters to stop their cars at red lights as part of the campaign.

The burning of stubble in the nearby states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan during the winter months also has an impact on the air quality in the nation's capital.