B S Vohra

Delhi’s Diwali pollution decoded: Firecrackers accounted for 71%, vehicles 7% indianexpress.com/article/ci…

Alarming ⚠️ Pollution is directly triggering a big spike in heart attacks and cardiac problems in Delhi NCR, says India’s most renowned cardiovascular surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan. Make it a point to listen to this clip:

#WATCH | Delhi | On air pollution in Delhi NCR, Thoracic (Chest) Surgeon and Lung Transplant Expert at Medanta Hospital, Dr Arvind Kumar says, "This is a pan-India problem. The most vulnerable groups include pregnant women, children, the elderly and people with existing health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease and cancer. Patients with chronic illnesses, those taking steroids or immunosuppressive medication, and bedridden patients are also at high risk from toxic air pollution." He also says, "We started raising concerns about air pollution in North India in 2015. It is now 2026, but the questions and answers remain the same, with little improvement on the ground..."

#WATCH | Delhi: On air pollution, Dr Vijay Hadda, Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine & Sleep Disorders, AIIMS, says, "These green crackers reduce emissions by only 30%. As far as the gases and particulate matter are concerned, 70% of the emissions remain the same as those from conventional firecrackers. The AQI, which used to be in three digits, has now reached four digits. If you compare Delhi's air quality with that of other cities, you will find that there is almost a 50% difference. Obviously, life is not going to be easy for the people living here. You keep inhaling this poisonous smoke, breathing it in continuously. Every minute, you breathe at least 20 times, taking in at least half a litre of air with each breath. I am honestly surprised that we are still alive. I do not think this kind of air is suitable for human survival. I am absolutely certain that as time passes, we will begin to see its effects. Many of my colleagues who are otherwise completely healthy have been calling me and saying, "I am unable to get rid of this irritation. It feels as though something is stuck in my throat." We saw patients during our last OPD session, and they have returned again today. This happens every year, but somehow, we all forget. The general public forgets, and even policies remain somewhat in a grey area, making it difficult to understand how they should be interpreted. Overall, the situation is not good at all. You should understand that you are simply inhaling poison and exhaling it..."

Delhi struggles with enforcement, violations of time, ‘green’ firecracker curbs worsen pollution Read: hindustantimes.com/s/1lci8xs @JasjeevGandhiok ✍️ 📲 For News on the go, download the HT app: hindustantimes.com/s/14lS24m

Delhi’s pollution problem doesn't begin with Diwali fireworks or end with the stubble-burning season. Its industries emit year-round. To illustrate the scale of the problem: 54% of high-polluting units breached emission limits this season. Read here: indianexpress.com/article/ci…

Adding 13 new air quality monitoring stations reduced Delhi's daily average PM2.5 concentration by about 6%. Delhi now has 59 real-time air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS), after adding 13 stations to its existing network of 46. A comparison of PM2.5 readings from 1–5 November 2026 shows that: 🔴The 13 new stations recorded average PM2.5 concentrations 26–28% lower than the existing 46 stations. 🔴 When readings from all 59 stations were combined, the overall daily average was approximately 6% lower than the average recorded by the existing 46 stations alone. However, even after including the new stations, Delhi's daily average PM2.5 remained more than twice the national standard on all five days. Expanding monitoring coverage provides a broader picture of air pollution, but the overall pollution burden remains high. Station locations also matter when calculating Delhi's average pollution levels. Stations in traffic, industrial and greener areas measure different pollution environments. Urban background stations, including those in parks, should be identified and assessed separately to ensure a representative citywide average.