As the country inches towards colder days, the Air Quality Index (AQI) across Delhi-NCR experiences a notable decline. The pollution levels take a big dip as it continues to be in the ‘poor’ category for the sixth consecutive day on October 19, 2025. The 24-hour average AQI was recorded as alarmingly high on Sunday at 282 at 8 am. With Diwali approaching, the festive week is expected to see a further spike due to the bursting of green firecrackers.

The national capital’s heavier air is attributed to the existing dust, calm winds, vehicular emissions, and stubble smoke, which may shoot up after Diwali. While Akshardham registered a concerning AQI of 426 under the ‘Severe’ category this morning, the air quality plummeted to 290 around Barapulla and 284 in ITO, as per the Central Pollution C

See Full Page