Delhi suffocates with ‘very bad’ air after cleanest October in years | Today’s news
(Bloomberg) — Dense smog enveloped Delhi on Wednesday as the capital’s winter pollution worsened a week ahead of the Diwali festival, when the haze is usually amplified by firecrackers.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, the city-wide air quality index stood at 379 at 10 am, near the upper end of what India describes as “very poor”. The average concentration of fine particles that can penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream reached 277, more than 18 times the 24-hour level recommended by the World Health Organization.
The deterioration marks a turnaround from last month’s AQI of 166 – the cleanest October in eight years – as unusually heavy rain washed away pollutants and favorable airflow helped disperse emissions.
Every winter, falling temperatures and light winds trap emissions from vehicles, industry, construction, waste burning and farm fires above Delhi, turning the capital’s air toxic for weeks. The recurring crisis is forcing schools and businesses to adjust operations, straining public health and eroding productivity in one of the world’s largest urban economies.
Authorities tried to overcome the problem this year with a formal calendar of restrictions. The latest measures, which came into effect on November 1, restrict people from working in offices and double parking fees, in addition to older commercial vehicles and dusty buildings. The regional air quality regulator also introduced similar emergency restrictions.
“But having a plan alone will not guarantee clean air. Implementation is still not up to par,” said Sunil Dahiya, founder and principal analyst at climate research firm Envirocatalysts. The measures do not cover the larger area around the capital, which contributes to emissions, while crop burning adds to an “already increased pollution load,” he said.
Microscopic pollutants in Delhi that have been linked to cancer come from a mix of local and regional sources. Secondary particulate matter – chemicals created as a mixture of emissions from all sources – accounts for the largest 27% each winter, according to India’s environment ministry. Another top source is transport, followed by burning biomass including crops in surrounding areas.
Fires in the nearby states of Punjab and Haryana have fallen by more than 90% since 2021, according to federal government data. Still, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology model predicts their share of pollution to increase from less than 9% on 2 November to more than 20% by 5 November.
But environmentalists say the air in the capital remains relatively unhealthy for most of the year.
“The authorities are still treating Delhi’s pollution as an episodic event and not an annual problem,” said Manoj Kumar, an analyst at the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research. “Concern is mounting as the air sharpens and visibility decreases. But less attention is paid to why Delhi has only one ‘good’ flying day in 2026.”
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