Delhi's air quality plummets as Diwali approaches

Delhi's air quality index crosses three hundred

The city's air quality index measuring PM two point five fine particulate matter has entered the very poor category, raising health concerns for millions of residents.

Prolonged exposure poses serious health risks

Breathing polluted air over extended periods can cause respiratory problems and worsen existing illnesses, with children and older people particularly vulnerable to harm.

Stage II emergency measures now in effect

Authorities have invoked Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan, introducing intensive road cleaning, higher parking charges and increased public transport services to curb pollution.

Delhi Metro adds twenty extra weekday trains

The transit authority has introduced twenty additional weekday train trips while government office timings have been staggered to ease traffic congestion and reduce vehicle emissions.

Multiple factors drive the annual winter crisis

Vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, falling temperatures, low wind speeds and crop stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana combine to create hazardous air quality each winter.

Supreme Court restricts Diwali firecracker use

The court allowed certified green firecrackers only between six and seven am and eight and ten pm on November seven and eight, and banned fireworks within three hundred metres of hospitals and schools.

Green firecrackers must carry verification codes

Approved firecrackers use modified chemical formulations to produce fewer emissions and must carry QR codes allowing buyers and authorities to verify manufacturer details and certification.

Police to patrol and seize illegal firecrackers

The Supreme Court acknowledged that conventional firecrackers have been sold as green alternatives even during complete bans, directing police to patrol sales areas and conduct random QR code checks.

“conventional firecrackers had continued to be sold as green alternatives, even when a complete ban was in place”