India
Delhi Air Quality Exceeds WHO Limits Over 50 Times During Deepavali Firecracker Burst
Delhi residents continued to set off firecrackers well past the 10 p.m. deadline imposed by the Supreme Court for Deepavali night, causing air pollution levels to soar to more than 50 times the World Health Organization’s limits in parts of the city, according to official data. At 11 p.m. on Sunday, November 8, 2026, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee recorded a PM2.5 concentration of 760.99 micrograms per cubic meter in the Akshardham area, roughly 50.73 times the WHO permissible 24‑hour limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter. In Anand Vihar, the same time saw a PM2.5 level of 767 micrograms per cubic meter, about 51.13 times the WHO limit. The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium area registered 702 micrograms per cubic meter, approximately 46.8 times the WHO limit. Overall, Delhi’s air quality remained in the “very poor” category, with many areas classified as “severe.” Winter weather conditions, lower wind speeds, and cooler temperatures typically cause spikes in pollution across the Delhi‑NCR and the larger Indo‑Gangetic Plains. Additional contributors include stubble burning in October and November and the festive firecracker use, which add to vehicle and dust pollution and worsen air quality. Published – November 09, 2026 01:01 am IST