The National Capital Delhi woke up to a dense toxic haze for second straight day following Diwali celebrations, with pollution levels worsening as the Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the “very poor” category.According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s AQI stood at 342 on Wednesday, October 22, while several parts of the city touched the “severe” mark during the night, as per India Today.The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has consequently enforced the Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the Delhi-NCR region, as per News18.
GRAP stage 2 in effect Stage 2 of GRAP mandates intensified dust control, checks on vehicular emissions, restrictions on the movement of highly pollution vehicles, and a ban on open burning of waste and biomass.Residents have also been urged to ensure that their vehicles carry valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates.These measures come amid forecasts by the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) suggesting that the AQI will remain above 300 (very poor) over the next few days due to low wind speeds and unfavourable meteorological conditions, as per News18.Firecrackers ban violations add to toxic loadDespite the Supreme Court’s restrictions limiting the use of green firecrackers between specific hours, violations were witnessed across the capital.The people continued to burst firecrackers well past the permitted time slots, leading to sharp spikes in particulate pollution.Farm fires witness decline Data from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, showed that stubble burning contributed barely 0.8-1% to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels between October 20 and 21.According to Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Punjab has witnessed a substantial decline in farm fire incidents this year, dropping from 1,510 cases in 2024 to just 415 this year, reported News18.Experts emphasised that while farm fires have reduced, Delhi’s pollution is increasingly driven by local sources such as vehicular emissions, industrial activities, construction dust and open waste burning.As the winters approach, the national capital is further expected to choke as smog covers the entire city.
