New Delhi | Delhi recorded its worst post-Diwali air quality in the last four years on Tuesday, with pollution levels spiking sharply the previous night as PM2.5 concentrations peaked at 675, while the BJP government attributed it to stubble burning in the AAP-ruled Punjab rather than firecrackers.
Delhi found itself enveloped in a thick grey haze and its air quality entered the "red zone" a day after Diwali, which saw cracker-bursting well beyond the two-hour limit (8 pm to 10 pm) set by the Supreme Court.
The city's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Diwali (Monday), reported at 4 pm, was in the "very poor" category at 345, compared to 330 in 2024, 218 in 2023, 312 in 2022 and 382 in 2021, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Hourly readings showed sustained high pollution throughout the night and into Tuesday morning, with the AQI at 344 at 10 pm, rising slightly to 349 at midnight and remaining above 350 from 7 am to 12 noon on Tuesday, reflecting the worst PM2.5 levels in the last four years.
The PM2.5 levels peaked at 675 micrograms per cubic metre late on Monday night.
The concentration of PM2.5 -- fine particles that easily penetrate the respiratory system and pose serious health risks, especially for children, the elderly and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions -- also exceeded the safe limits.
However, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said despite the lifting of the ban on green firecrackers this year, Delhi's AQI rose only marginally, from 345 before Diwali to 356 the next morning, an increase of "just 11 points".
Sirsa said every religion has the right to celebrate its festivals, indicating that bursting crackers is an indispensable way of celebrating Diwali.
On its part, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the BJP government in the capital, alleging that it has failed to conduct artificial rain and take measures to ensure the implementation of the apex court's order to allow the bursting of firecrackers.
Police have registered more than 100 cases across Delhi over alleged violations of the court's guidelines on bursting firecrackers and over 50 cases on charges of illegal sale during Diwali celebrations, officials said.
The top court had allowed the bursting of green firecrackers between 8 pm and 10 pm on the festival day, but the celebrations continued well past the allotted time.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, however, said the "radiance and brilliance" of Diwali this year were "unique" and asserted that her government is serious about tackling pollution and taking effective measures to curb it.
She thanked the Supreme Court for allowing the "limited use" of green firecrackers, balancing tradition with environmental concerns.
Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said those who burst firecrackers beyond 10 pm on Diwali behaved "irresponsibly".
The minister, however, emphasised that bursting firecrackers was not the sole reason behind the spike in pollution levels in the capital.
Addressing a press conference here, Sirsa blamed the AAP government in Punjab for the toxic haze over Delhi, alleging that the state forced farmers to burn a record amount of paddy stubble on Diwali night.
He accused the AAP of indulging in politics over "religion".
Sirsa claimed that while AAP leaders "condemned the Delhi chief minister, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Sanatan Dharma followers over festival celebrations", the real reason behind the worsening air quality in Delhi was large-scale stubble burning in Punjab.
AAP's Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj sought to know from the Delhi government why did it not take steps to induce artificial rain to bring the situation under control.
He also alleged that banned firecrackers were burst on Diwali and questioned if the Delhi government was "hand in glove" with the firecracker-manufacturing lobby.
The AAP leader also claimed that no AQI data was available on Diwali night and held the BJP responsible for it.
The Congress said the worsening AQI reflected years of administrative neglect and called for sustained efforts to tackle pollution.
Firecracker sales saw a sharp rise this Diwali, with traders reporting brisk business and the overall sales estimated at around Rs 500 crore. The Sadar Bazar Association reported nearly 40-per cent higher sales than last year.
However, the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) recorded fewer emergency calls than last year, though hospitals still had to deal with a large number of burn cases.
More than 250 people suffered burn injuries in Delhi on Diwali, with hospitals across the city reporting a surge in the number of cases, mostly caused by firecrackers. The Safdarjung Hospital, which has the country's largest burn unit, recorded the highest number of such cases at 129.
The DFS received 269 emergency calls on Diwali night, marking a nearly-15-per cent decline from last year's figure of 318, the highest in the last 13 years.
