According to locals from the area, the activity has been ongoing post Diwali

Experts attributed the current spike to local factors and said the Pakistan fires have not yet contributed to Delhi’s pollution due to current wind patterns

Experts have warned that smoke from farm fires in Pakistan could soon affect Delhi’s air. A western disturbance is expected between 27 and 29 October, after which winds from the northwest may carry smoke and dust towards the city. Pakistan has already recorded nearly 6,000 farm fires this month — one of the highest counts in recent years — while Punjab in India has seen fewer fires so far.

Sunil Dahiya from EnviroCatalysts said that slow and changing winds have allowed pollution from nearby areas such as Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Sonipat, and Gautam Buddha Nagar to gather over Delhi, causing a slight rise in pollution levels. Meteorologists added that once winds change, the air quality in Delhi could worsen, with hazy skies and high AQI levels expected.

इस वक्त देश के टॉप पर्यावरण संबंधी मुद्दों के स्ट्रैटेजिक और रिसर्च एनालिस्ट सुनील ने बताया कि दिल्ली-NCR में दिन के मुकाबले रात को डबल प्रदूषण हो जाता है. वहीं उन्होंने इन दो पहाड़ों को भी प्रदूषण के ट्रैप हो जाने की वजह बताया है.

Post-monsoon showers in early October kept city's skies blue and the AQI between “satisfactory” and “moderate” levels, according to CPCB. But not in Anand Vihar

Delhi's air quality improved from "very poor" to "poor" due to higher wind speeds, but this relief is expected to be temporary.

Throughout the day, the real-time air quality continued to improve; it was 290 at 9am, 286 at 11am and 272 at 6pm

For experts, anything above the threshold is detrimental no matter which air index people rely on.

On Diwali night, the city's PM2.5 level soared to 16 times the national safe limit, exposing lakhs of residents to hazardous air as crackers burst well beyond the Supreme Court's 8-10pm window.

Delhi conducts cloud seeding trial, prepares to tackle rising air pollution

Rising air pollution is harming more than lungs and hearts—experts warn it also affects mental health, increasing risks of depression, anxiety, and cognetive decline.

Experts say Delhi must shift from reactive responses like GRAP to proactive, data-driven and accountable policies. Drawing lessons from London’s congestion pricing and Beijing’s regional industrial controls, they stress targeting power plants, enforcing emission cuts and linking administrative accountability to results for achieving cleaner, healthier air by 2030.

Delhi-NCR saw improved air quality in early 2025 due to favourable weather. After Diwali, AQI surged, making Delhi the most polluted major city globally. Data from CPCB and IQAir highlighted drastic AQI increases, with residential and industrial areas worst hit. Can green crackers help?

From Oct 20 onward, ozone and CO disappeared from the AQI charts, replaced by particulate matter – tiny, hazardous particles that penetrate deep into the lungs.

Delhi’s air turned toxic after Diwali — while Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an AQI of 351, IQAir logged a much higher figure of 1,121, highlighting a major difference in monitoring results.

Despite Delhi's severe "very poor" air quality, experts note the usual spike in pollution from farm fires in Punjab and Haryana has not yet happened. Its contribution has been minimal, peaking at just 2.6%, meaning the current smog is from local sources like vehicles and industry. This delay is attributed to floods disrupting the harvest and unfavourable wind patterns, pushing the expected surge in smoke to after October 28th.

The contribution of stubble burning in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana has remained negligible this season – below 1% on most days, and peaking at just 2.6%

Delhi AQI today: The analysis by the Decision Support System (DSS), which tracks pollution sources, showed that the mix of emissions affecting Delhi had shifted since Diwali on October 20.

Delhi's air pollution is a year-round menace, not merely a winter phenomenon. The city is trapped in a perfect storm of its own traffic, industry, and construction dust, which is then catastrophically exacerbated each autumn by agricultural burning in neighbouring states. The fundamental question remains whether India's capital can ever truly escape its toxic air and reclaim a healthy environment.