Diwali Celebrations in Delhi and Pollution
Pollution Free Diwali Celebrations in Delhi
As part of our Monday blog series on Hindu Philosophy and Scriptures, we explore how traditional practices intersect with modern challenges. This week, we focus on Diwali celebrations in Delhi, one of the most vibrant and culturally significant events in the capital. While Diwali is cherished as the festival of lights, symbolizing joy and unity, it has also come under scrutiny for its perceived contribution to Delhi’s air pollution.
However, a closer look at Air Quality Index (AQI) data reveals that the festival’s impact is often overstated. By examining broader seasonal trends and year-round pollution sources, we aim to highlight the systemic challenges that overshadow the short-term spikes during the Diwali season. This blog advocates for sustainable solutions that balance environmental needs with cultural traditions, ensuring that Diwali celebrations in Delhi continue to thrive without compromising the city’s air quality.
This misrepresentation underscores the necessity for a holistic approach to tackle Delhi’s pollution, shifting the focus from Diwali-specific activities to broader, year-round environmental strategies.
Background
To understand the role of Diwali in Delhi’s air pollution more clearly, it is essential to examine the broader context of pollution trends during the colder months. From October to January, a variety of environmental and meteorological factors combine to degrade air quality, creating challenges that extend far beyond festival-specific activities.
Delhi experiences heightened pollution levels from October to January, a period that aligns with both Diwali and the agricultural stubble burning in nearby states. While Diwali, with its fireworks and increased activity, contributes to temporary pollution spikes, the overall impact is relatively modest within the larger context of seasonal air quality deterioration. This seasonal trend is compounded by meteorological conditions like lower temperatures and stagnant air, which trap pollutants. Therefore, it’s crucial to distinguish between the short-lived effects of Diwali and the persistent, underlying pollution challenges facing the capital. In this context, our analysis aims to provide a thorough examination of Delhi’s air pollution, focusing on the contributions of various factors beyond the festive celebrations.
Monthly AQI Trends from 2018 to 2025

A detailed analysis of AQI trends over the years provides valuable insights into the persistent nature of Delhi’s air quality challenges. By exploring data from 2018 to 2025, we can identify patterns of seasonal deterioration and evaluate how events like Diwali fit within this broader picture.
There has been a tendency within some Indian judicial and public discourse to portray Diwali as a major contributor to air pollution, particularly in the National Capital Region of Delhi. However, a detailed analysis of Air Quality Index (AQI) data over several years tells a more nuanced story.
Analysis of Delhi’s AQI Data:

Monthly AQI Trends from 2018 to 2025:
- The months of October and November consistently show higher AQI values, suggesting a trend towards worsening air quality. This period aligns with the onset of winter, characterized by lower temperatures and reduced air movement, which can trap pollutants close to the ground. The AQI is consistently high indicating the inherent problem in the air quality of Delhi and management of Delhi air pollution. This is applicable over the entire period of reckoning.
- December and January also show elevated AQI levels, which may, partially, be exacerbated by agricultural stubble burning in neighbouring regions, coupled with cold weather conditions. This trend further proves that burning of Diwali crackers has nothing to do with the cracker bursting during Diwali.
AQI on Diwali:
The AQI data specifically on Diwali indicates occasional increases in pollution levels. For instance, during 2020-21, the AQI peaked at 414 on Diwali, which stands out compared to the monthly averages. However, when assessing these spikes against the backdrop of typically high monthly AQI values during this season, they do not represent extreme outliers but rather fit within the expected range of variability for this time of year. Hence, the observed increases on Diwali, while noticeable, should be viewed within the broader context of Delhi’s ongoing air quality issues, and not as isolated incidents.
Long-term AQI Trends:
Examining the AQI data over several years, such as from 2018 to 2025, reveals that there is no clear evidence linking Diwali celebrations with a significant or measurable increase in air pollution levels. For instance, in years like 2024-25, the AQI observed during Diwali aligns closely with AQI figures from other months, indicating that the air quality fluctuations during Diwali are within the typical range for that time of year. This observation suggests that while Diwali does occur during a period of generally poor air quality in Delhi, the festival itself does not significantly exacerbate the city’s ongoing air pollution challenges beyond normal seasonal variations.
These insights underscore the need to address the air pollution crisis in Delhi with strategies that encompass more than just the short span of Diwali celebrations. Given the consistent high AQI readings particularly during the colder months from October to January, it is evident that the city’s pollution woes are linked to a combination of factors including seasonal weather patterns that inhibit pollutant dispersion and possibly agricultural burning practices. This analysis highlights the importance of comprehensive air quality management that tackles pollution sources throughout the year, rather than focusing predominantly on festival periods.
Seasonal Variation
The graph shows a consistent pattern where AQI levels begin to rise from October, peaking around November or December. This suggests a seasonal degradation in air quality, typically due to factors such as lower temperatures and reduced air movement which can trap pollutants close to the ground. The consistent high AQI in these months highlights a broader issue of air quality management in Delhi, exacerbated by weather conditions that are conducive to pollution accumulation.
Seasonal Variation
The graph shows a consistent pattern where AQI levels begin to rise from October, peaking around November or December. This suggests a seasonal degradation in air quality, typically due to factors such as lower temperatures and reduced air movement which can trap pollutants close to the ground. The consistent high AQI in these months highlights a broader issue of air quality management in Delhi, exacerbated by weather conditions that are conducive to pollution accumulation.
Diwali-Specific Observations
On Diwali, there are observable increases in the AQI, notable in years like 2020-21 where the AQI reached 414. However, these spikes, while significant, do not consistently exceed the general high AQI observed during the winter months. In years like 2024-25, the AQI on Diwali aligns more closely with the typical range for that time of year, indicating that Diwali’s impact, though potentially contributing to short-term air quality dips, is within the expected variability of the season.
Contextual Analysis
The comparison of AQI on Diwali against the monthly averages indicates that while Diwali may contribute to increased pollution levels, its impact is relatively contained within the broader seasonal trends. The data does not support the notion that Diwali is a primary driver of air pollution in Delhi. Instead, it suggests that the festival’s impact on air quality should be viewed as part of the larger seasonal pollution issues that the city faces, which are likely influenced by a combination of ongoing urban emissions, regional agricultural practices, and particular meteorological conditions.
The analysis underscores the importance of addressing Delhi’s air pollution with a comprehensive approach that goes beyond focusing solely on Diwali or any single event. Given the consistent elevation of AQI readings during the colder months, it is evident that Delhi’s air quality challenges are linked to systemic issues that persist throughout the year. Strategies to improve air quality must therefore be comprehensive, tackling pollution sources continuously and not just in response to specific events. This approach will ensure more effective management of urban air pollution, addressing both seasonal trends and episodic spikes to create a healthier environment for Delhi’s residents.
Analysis of Delhi’s AQI Data of PM10 Emission
To address these systemic issues effectively, it is important to analyze the primary sources of pollutants contributing to Delhi’s PM10 levels. Breaking down emission sources such as road dust, industrial activities, and vehicle emissions reveals the dominant contributors to the city’s year-round air quality challenges.
Analysis of Delhi’s AQI Data from 2018 to 2025 reveals critical insights into seasonal trends and specific event impacts:
- Seasonal Trends: The AQI data shows that from October to January, there are consistent elevations in pollution levels, peaking around November and December. This pattern aligns with the onset of winter, characterized by lower temperatures and reduced air movement, which traps pollutants near the ground. The impact of agricultural stubble burning in neighboring regions also becomes more pronounced during these colder months.
- Event-Specific Impact: On Diwali, while the AQI occasionally peaks (e.g., reaching 414 during 2020-21), these spikes are within the expected range of variability for the season and do not represent extreme outliers. This suggests that while Diwali contributes to temporary increases in pollution, the broader seasonal trends dominate the overall air quality challenges in Delhi.
This integrated perspective ensures a clear understanding of how seasonal variations and specific events like Diwali contribute to Delhi’s air quality issues, clarifying that the festival’s impact, though noticeable, is just one part of a larger, more complex air quality management challenge.
Major Contributors
- Road Dust: Comprises the largest portion of PM10 emissions, accounting for 56% of the total. This substantial figure highlights the significant impact of road dust on air quality, pointing to the resuspension of particles due to traffic and other activities.
- Concrete Batching: The second major contributor, at 10% of total emissions, comes from concrete batching operations. These emissions are likely due to the handling and processing of concrete materials in construction activities.
- Industrial Point Sources: These account for another 10% of emissions and include emissions from various industrial operations, notably stacks and other point sources within industrial areas.
- Vehicles: Vehicle emissions contribute 9% to the total PM10 load. This includes exhaust emissions from cars, buses, trucks, and other vehicles, emphasizing the role of transportation in urban air pollution.
- Others: The remaining emissions are divided among several smaller sources including:
-
- Hotels/Restaurants and Domestic sources, each contributing 5%.
- Medical Incinerators and MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) Burning, each also contributing around 4%.
- Smaller shares from sectors like aircraft, cremation, and DG (Diesel Generator) Sets, each contributing around 1% or less.
Considering the consistent high levels of PM10 pollution in Delhi throughout the year, predominantly from sources like road dust, vehicle emissions, and industrial activities, the impact of Diwali firecrackers on overall air quality is relatively minor. While localized spikes in pollution during Diwali are noticeable, they do not significantly contribute to the broader air quality issues in Delhi. This analysis highlights the importance of addressing the main, year-round sources of pollution for effective air quality management.
Efforts to mitigate these impacts have seen environmental activists and government bodies promoting “Green Diwali” campaigns, encouraging the use of eco-friendly crackers and reducing the overall fireworks display. Many communities are now shifting towards light shows, laser displays, and using soundless and smokeless fireworks as alternatives to traditional firecrackers, striving to preserve the festive spirit of Diwali while addressing environmental concerns.
Reflections on Diwali Celebrations in Delhi in Increasing Air Pollution
In conclusion, addressing Delhi’s air pollution crisis requires a comprehensive and sustained approach that tackles systemic issues rather than disproportionately focusing on Diwali. By understanding the broader patterns and sources of pollution, we can develop effective strategies to create a cleaner and healthier environment for all.
The narrative that Diwali is a principal contributor to Delhi’s air pollution oversimplifies the complex, multifaceted nature of environmental issues in the megacity. While the festival does coincide with a noticeable dip in air quality, the broader issue stems from a combination of persistent pollution sources including traffic emissions, industrial activities, and regional agricultural practices. Effective management requires comprehensive strategies that address these root causes throughout the year. Recognizing and acting upon these broader sources of pollution, rather than focusing narrowly on festival activities, will be key in making substantial progress toward cleaner air in Delhi.
Feature Image: Click here to view the image.
Visit our YouTube Channel by clicking here.
Follow us on our social median handles
Glossary of Terms:
- Air Quality Index (AQI): A numerical scale used to communicate the quality of air in a particular area, indicating levels of pollution and potential health risks.
- Diwali: A Hindu festival, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrated annually to signify the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
- PM10: Particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers or smaller, a significant contributor to air pollution and health concerns.
- Green Diwali: An initiative promoting environmentally friendly ways to celebrate Diwali, including the use of eco-friendly crackers and alternative decorations.
- Stubble Burning: The agricultural practice of burning crop residues after harvest, which contributes significantly to air pollution in neighboring areas.
- Seasonal Variation: Changes in air quality influenced by weather patterns, such as lower temperatures and reduced air circulation during winter months.
- Meteorological Conditions: Atmospheric factors like temperature, humidity, and wind speed, which influence air pollution levels by affecting pollutant dispersion.
- Sustainable Solutions: Approaches aimed at reducing environmental impact through long-term strategies that balance economic, environmental, and social considerations.
Top Hashtags
#DiwaliCelebrations #DelhiAirPollution #AQIAnalysis #GreenDiwali #SustainableFestivals
Leave a Reply