Delhi Police has reimposed a complete ban on firecracker use after the permitted windows on 7 and 8 November ended, warning that anyone violating the restriction will face legal action as the city’s air quality worsens.
The police said on X that permission to burst firecrackers in the national capital was limited to specified hours on 7 and 8 November. With that period over, bursting firecrackers is now prohibited across Delhi. The force appealed to residents to follow the rule and described compliance as a sign of responsible citizenship.
The renewed restriction comes after heavy fireworks during Diwali and pollution contributions attributed to firecrackers reached their highest levels of the period on Monday and Tuesday, according to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). Firecrackers accounted for 71.1% of Delhi’s pollution on Monday and 29.8% on Tuesday, as cited in the report.
On Monday, vehicles accounted for 6.9% of the city’s pollution contribution, according to the same IITM assessment. The figures relate to the pollution contribution recorded on those days and were reported as part of the analysis of Delhi’s deteriorating air quality.
The air quality situation also worsened during the week. Delhi’s Air Quality Index reached 303 on Wednesday morning, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category. The 24-hour average AQI on Tuesday was 299, when the city was classified in the ‘poor’ category after a temporary improvement.
An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that pollution levels across Delhi-NCR had deteriorated at the beginning of the winter season. The average PM2.5 concentration during the week before Diwali was recorded at 236 micrograms per cubic metre, the highest level for that period in three years, according to the report.
The pre-Diwali PM2.5 average was 32% higher than the 179 micrograms per cubic metre recorded in 2024, the CSE analysis said. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter that can remain suspended in the air and is monitored as a key indicator of pollution.
The Central Pollution Control Board has also identified stubble-burning incidents in neighbouring states as one of the contributors to Delhi’s pollution. The latest pollution readings therefore come amid multiple reported sources, including firecrackers, vehicle emissions and regional smoke.
With the permitted firecracker period over, Delhi Police said enforcement action would be taken against violations. The ban remains in force while the capital’s air quality is in the ‘very poor’ range.
