Mon Oct 20 16:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the text about Delhi’s post-Diwali air quality:

Delhi Chokes on Post-Diwali Smog as Air Quality Plunges to ‘Severe’ Levels

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s air quality has plummeted to ‘severe’ levels following Diwali celebrations, with rampant firecracker use and unfavorable weather conditions creating a toxic smog over the capital.

On Monday evening, the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed the 400 mark in several areas, pushing air quality into the ‘severe’ category. Of the 38 monitoring stations across the city, 34 were in the “Red Zone,” indicating air quality ranging from ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’. The city’s 24-hour average AQI registered at 345, categorized as ‘very poor,’ a significant deterioration from Sunday’s reading of 326.

Specific areas experienced the worst of the pollution, with Dwarka (417), Ashok Vihar (404), Wazirpur (423), and Anand Vihar (404) all recording ‘severe’ air quality (AQI above 400) according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) SAMEER app.

Experts predict that air quality will remain in the ‘severe’ category on Tuesday and Wednesday. The CPCB considers an AQI between 301-400 as ‘very poor,’ and 401-500 as ‘severe.’

Pollution sources on Monday primarily consisted of emissions from vehicles (15.6%) and industries and other factors (23.3%). In response to the worsening air, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has already implemented Stage II restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast smog or shallow fog in the mornings on Tuesday, with hazy conditions and partial cloud cover expected later in the day across Delhi-NCR. Similar conditions with haze and the possibility of fog is expected on Wednesday. Meteorologists warn that slow wind speeds will likely exacerbate the situation, preventing the dispersal of pollutants.

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