The Aporia
AFP; AP. (2026, November 9). Smog blankets New Delhi as Diwali firecrackers worsen air quality. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/9/smog-blankets-new-delhi-as-diwali-firecrackers-worsen-air-quality?traffic_source=rss
AFP; AP. “Smog blankets New Delhi as Diwali firecrackers worsen air quality.” Al Jazeera, 9 Nov. 2026, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/9/smog-blankets-new-delhi-as-diwali-firecrackers-worsen-air-quality?traffic_source=rss.
AFP; AP. “Smog blankets New Delhi as Diwali firecrackers worsen air quality.” Al Jazeera, November 9, 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/9/smog-blankets-new-delhi-as-diwali-firecrackers-worsen-air-quality?traffic_source=rss.
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On Monday morning, New Delhi woke up blanketed in thick smog after residents lit up the skies with firecrackers during Diwali celebrations, exacerbating already dangerously high pollution levels. Despite restrictions set by India’s Supreme Court last month to limit pollution by allowing only approved “green” firecrackers for limited times on certain days, many still used traditional ones that released smoke and fine particulate matter into the atmosphere. The Air Quality Index exceeded 350 in several parts of the city, reaching the severe category as per the World Health Organization’s guidelines, which poses significant health risks to residents.
Despite restrictions on fireworks, New Delhi residents celebrated the festival of lights with firecrackers throughout Sunday evening, releasing smoke and fine particulate matter into the atmosphere.
Last month, India’s Supreme Court put in place restrictions to limit Diwali pollution, allowing only approved “green firecrackers” under specified conditions for three-hour windows on Saturday and Sunday.