Delhi pollution jumped to 58 times WHO limit after Diwali fireworks
Why it matters: PM2.5 hit 879 micrograms per cubic meter in one area of the capital, where more than 30 million people face winter smog.
Air pollution in New Delhi spiked sharply after Deepavali fireworks, with PM2.5 levels in the Mandir Marg area reaching 879 micrograms per cubic meter early Monday, about 58 times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily maximum. Millions marked the festival of lights with fireworks across the Indian capital, adding to winter smog already driven by vehicle emissions, farm stubble burning and industry. India’s Supreme Court had allowed limited use of lower-emission “green” firecrackers for Deepavali, but restrictions are often ignored. Authorities in recent weeks have also imposed traffic and construction curbs as they try to contain pollution in a city of more than 30 million people.