New Delhi woke up to 'very poor' air on Diwali morning, Sunday, November 8, with the national capital recording an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 384, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data reported by IANS. The reading keeps the capital deep in the 'very poor' band on the festival's main day.

Source: IANS via HiIndia, citing CPCB

Pollution was at its worst in west and south Delhi. Of the 23 monitoring stations in the CPCB's 6 a.m. update, 11 recorded AQI readings above 400, placing them in the 'severe' category. Punjabi Bagh recorded the highest AQI at 450, followed by RK Puram at 449 and IIT Delhi at 446, IANS reported. HindFirst, reporting the same CPCB morning data, also put Punjabi Bagh at 450 with 11 areas above 400 under a thick layer of smog.

Source: HindFirst, citing CPCB

A festival morning under GRAP-III curbs

The Diwali-morning reading follows a week of steadily worsening air. Delhi recorded an AQI of 364 on Saturday morning, November 7, and the Commission for Air Quality Management had already invoked GRAP Stage-III restrictions across Delhi-NCR on November 6, when the AQI stood at 382 — curbs that remained in force through the festival weekend.

Firecrackers were also tightly limited this Diwali. Under a Supreme Court order, only certified green crackers could be manufactured, sold and burst in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8, and only in the 6–7 a.m. and 8–10 p.m. windows; the complete ban on firecrackers is to stand restored from November 9, with state authorities directed to file compliance reports.

An AQI between 301 and 400 is categorised as 'very poor' and readings above 400 as 'severe'. Sunday's citywide figure of 384, with nearly half the listed stations in the severe zone, means the post-Diwali morning — historically among the capital's worst air days — will be closely watched when the CPCB issues its next updates.