Parts of Delhi continue to reel under ‘severe’ air pollution on the eve of Deepavali

The sun appears through a thick layer of smog amid air pollution, in New Delhi, Saturday, November 7, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI Ahead of Deepavali, the overall air quality of the national capital continued to be in the “very poor” category for the sixth consecutive day on Saturday (November 7, 2026), with some areas in the “severe” category, as per official data. This is expected to worsen due to the bursting of firecrackers during the festival.Several parts of the city, including Dwarka, IIT Delhi, ITO, Alipur, and Bawana, reeled under ‘severe’ air pollution. This level of pollution affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).“The air quality is likely to be in the Severe category from 07.11.2026 to 09.11.2026. The outlook for the subsequent 6 Days: The air quality is likely to be in the Severe to Very Poor category,” the Union government’s Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi said. Stubble burning effect downThe contribution of stubble burning in neighbouring States to the level of PM2.5 (a chief pollutant) in Delhi on Saturday (November 7, 2026) is expected to be 1.7%, down from 7.9% on Friday (November 6, 2026), according to the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences data. The 24-hour average overall Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi stood at 362 (very poor) on Saturday (November 7, 2026) at 4 p.m., up from 382 (very poor) a day earlier, as per the CPCB’s daily bulletin. A higher AQI means a worsening of air quality.Every winter, air pollution spikes in the Delhi-NCR region and many parts of the larger Indo-Gangetic plains, mainly due to meteorological factors such as lower wind speeds and a drop in temperature. Pollution from stubble burning during October and November and the bursting of firecrackers during the festive season add to the existing pollution from vehicles and dust, worsening the air quality. Published - November 07, 2026 08:48 pm IST