Overview
- CPCB data showed Delhi’s overall AQI hovering around 352–359 by late morning, with 36 of 38 stations in the red zone and local hotspots such as Bawana, Jahangirpuri, Ashok Vihar and Wazirpur exceeding 400.
- Private trackers reported extreme spikes, with IQAir readings surpassing 1,300 at some central sites and PM2.5 peaking between 500 and 1,800 µg/m³, far beyond India’s index cap and WHO guidelines.
- Widespread fireworks use continued well past Supreme Court‑permitted windows and reports of illegal conventional crackers and fake ‘green’ labels undercut the limited-emissions allowance.
- Several official monitors showed missing overnight data during peak hours and the SAMEER app was intermittently unresponsive, with experts suggesting instruments likely saturated at very high concentrations.
- Leaders traded blame over causes ranging from stubble burning to local emissions, as authorities kept GRAP Stage II measures in place and health advisories warned of heightened risks for vulnerable groups.