New Delhi, October 20, 2025 — A thick, toxic haze enveloped New Delhi on Monday, October 20, as air pollution levels surged to alarming heights, exceeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended daily maximum for safe air quality by more than 16 times. The Indian capital, along with its sprawling metropolitan area that houses over 30 million residents, has long been one of the world’s most polluted urban centers. Each winter, the city grapples with a deadly smog that blankets the skyline, driven by a combination of vehicle emissions, industrial output, and seasonal crop burning in neighboring states. This week, the situation worsened dramatically, exacerbated by widespread firecracker use during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which culminated on Monday.
Despite a Supreme Court ruling permitting only “green firecrackers” designed to emit fewer harmful particulates, compliance was minimal. Revelers across the city ignored the restrictions, setting off traditional fireworks that released dense clouds of smoke and toxic chemicals into the already burdened atmosphere. Data from air quality monitoring firm IQAir revealed that levels of PM2.5—fine particulate matter small enough to penetrate the bloodstream and linked to serious health issues, including cancer—reached 248 micrograms per cubic meter in parts of Delhi. The WHO considers 15 micrograms per cubic meter the safe daily limit for PM2.5 exposure, underscoring the severity of the crisis.
The Indian government’s Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) warned that air quality is likely to deteriorate further in the coming days due to stagnant weather conditions that trap pollutants. To mitigate the crisis, authorities have been directed to ensure a continuous electricity supply to reduce reliance on diesel generators, which contribute significantly to the city’s pollution load. Delhi’s Environment Minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, also announced plans to experiment with cloud seeding—a process that involves injecting chemicals into clouds to induce rainfall and potentially wash pollutants out of the air. “We’ve already got everything we need to do the cloud seeding,” Sirsa stated, noting that flight trials and pilot training have been completed. While cloud seeding has been used in other parts of the world, its effectiveness in tackling urban air pollution remains uncertain and controversial, with critics citing potential environmental side effects.
The health impacts of Delhi’s air pollution crisis are staggering. A 2023 study published in The Lancet Planetary Health estimated that between 2009 and 2019, air pollution contributed to 3.8 million premature deaths across India. In Delhi alone, the toxic air poses a severe threat to public health, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that children exposed to such high levels of air pollution face an elevated risk of severe respiratory infections, which can lead to long-term developmental issues. Hospitals in the capital have reported a surge in patients presenting with breathing difficulties, eye irritation, and other pollution-related ailments in recent days.
Beyond fireworks and industrial emissions, the practice of crop burning in neighboring states like Punjab and Haryana has significantly worsened Delhi’s air quality. Each year, farmers burn crop residue to clear fields for the next planting season, releasing vast amounts of smoke that drift into the capital. Despite efforts to provide farmers with alternative methods, such as subsidized machinery for crop residue management, the practice persists due to economic constraints and logistical challenges. The Delhi government has repeatedly called for stronger regional cooperation to address this issue, but progress has been slow.
In response to the crisis, schools in parts of Delhi have shifted to online classes to protect children from exposure, and authorities have urged residents to limit outdoor activities. The city’s air quality index (AQI), which measures a range of pollutants, has hovered in the “severe” category, prompting warnings for even healthy individuals to avoid prolonged exposure. Some residents have turned to air purifiers and masks, but these solutions are often unaffordable for the city’s poorer communities, who bear the brunt of the crisis.
The government has also implemented measures under its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which includes restrictions on construction activities, vehicle use, and coal-based power plants when pollution levels spike. However, enforcement remains a challenge, and critics argue that these measures are reactive rather than preventive. Long-term solutions, such as transitioning to cleaner energy sources, improving public transportation, and enforcing stricter industrial emission standards, have been proposed but face significant hurdles in implementation.
As New Delhi grapples with this public health emergency, the crisis underscores the urgent need for coordinated action at local, regional, and national levels. While cloud seeding and other short-term interventions may offer temporary relief, experts emphasize that addressing the root causes of air pollution—fossil fuel dependency, unchecked industrial growth, and agricultural practices—will require sustained political will and investment. For now, Delhi’s residents are left to navigate a city shrouded in smog, with no immediate end to the crisis in sight.
