India’s Air Turns Toxic After Diwali Fireworks

After India celebrated the Hindu festival of Diwali, air quality in New Delhi deteriorated sharply, with pollution levels exceeding safe limits by more than 56 times.

The spike came as fireworks filled the sky despite regulations intended to reduce emissions.

The Supreme Court had recently allowed the use of “green firecrackers,” marketed as less polluting alternatives, but environmental groups questioned their effectiveness.

Air quality monitoring organization IQAir reported PM2.5 concentrations of 846 micrograms per cubic metre in some parts of the city — far above the World Health Organization’s safety limit.

Although levels dropped to 320 micrograms later in the morning, that still represents one of the world’s most hazardous urban air readings.

Studies show millions of deaths in India are linked to air pollution, and UNICEF warns that children are particularly vulnerable to its health impacts.