Tue Oct 21 09:50:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text:

Following Deepavali celebrations on October 20, 2025, Delhi’s air quality plummeted, exceeding WHO permissible limits by fifteen times. Despite a ban only allowing green firecrackers between 8 PM and 10 PM, widespread violations occurred. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and IQAir revealed PM2.5 levels far above safe thresholds, ranking Delhi as the most polluted major city globally on October 21, 2025. Several monitoring stations recorded “severe” pollution, impacting healthy individuals and those with pre-existing conditions. Air quality deteriorated to the “very poor” category, with several areas experiencing “severe” conditions. Similar pollution levels were observed in other North Indian cities. Factors like low wind speed, temperature drops, stubble burning, and firecracker use are blamed for the annual winter pollution spike in the Indo-Gangetic plains.

Here’s a news article based on the text:

Delhi Chokes on Post-Deepavali Smog; Air Pollution Soars to Alarming Levels

NEW DELHI, October 21, 2025 – Celebrations marking Deepavali have left Delhi shrouded in a thick blanket of smog, as air pollution levels reached critical highs, exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) limits by a staggering fifteen times. Despite a ban restricting firecracker usage to “green” varieties between 8 PM and 10 PM on October 20, widespread violations were reported across the city.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed PM2.5 levels reaching 228 micrograms per cubic meter at 6 AM today, more than fifteen times the WHO’s permissible limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter.

According to IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, Delhi was declared the “most polluted” major city in the world this morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 429. Lahore (260) and Karachi (182) followed behind.

Four of Delhi’s 36 monitoring stations reported “severe” air pollution, a level the CPCB warns can affect healthy individuals and seriously impact those with existing health conditions. The city’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 356, placing it firmly in the “very poor” category. Areas like Bawan, Burari, Jahangirpuri, and Wazirpur are experiencing the worst of the pollution.

The CPCB data also indicated that several other towns and cities in North India are grappling with “very poor” air quality. Experts point to a combination of meteorological factors, stubble burning, and the rampant use of firecrackers as the primary drivers behind the annual winter pollution surge in the Indo-Gangetic plains.

The deteriorating air quality raises serious concerns about public health, especially for vulnerable populations. Residents are advised to take necessary precautions and limit outdoor activities.

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