WHEN CELEBRATIONS TURN TOXIC: BHARAT’S BATTLE WITH AIR POLLUTION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO DELHI

Every year, as the vibrant lights and joyous spirits of Diwali sweep across the country and capital of India, another shadow quietly descends on the city a shadow of dense, toxic air that leaves its citizens gasping for breath.

- B. N. S. SRIRAM AND DR. PARTHA S. RAKSHIT

The spectacle of fireworks and crackers during the festival of lights, intended to symbolize hope and the triumph of good over evil, unfortunately often heralds the onset of a pollution emergency. In 2025, the narrative around green crackers which was promoted as an environmentally friendly solution once again fell short of transforming this grim reality. Examining the aftermath of Diwali, becomes imperative not under the lens of customary faith, but rather on the public health crisis that the festival's celebration, in its current unchecked form, triggers.

Specially, Delhi's air quality is highly susceptible to seasonal changes and human interventions. In October 2025, just before Diwali, the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) hovered at an average of around 180-210, which, while higher than the WHO's prescribed safe level, remained within the “moderate” to “poor” range due to the lingering effects of the monsoon. However, within just 24 hours post-Diwali occasion, monitoring at several key locations recorded AQI spikes above 400 with hazardous levels of PM2.5 and PM10 particles blanketing the city (as reported by various national media agencies). The burn-off from firecrackers, compounded by stagnant post-monsoon air and low wind speeds, creates a veritable gas chamber, trapping pollutants over the city for days.