Who said Diwali means bursting crackers? But inspite of Supreme Court banning of bursting crackers, Delhites doesn't seem to understand that.

It's been 2 days since Diwali and the national capital seems to be covered in a thick blanket of smog.

Delhi has been gasping to breath quite sometime, especially this morning as the Air Quality Index (AQI) re-entered the "severe" category in several areas, shortly after the bursting of firecrackers across the National Capital Region on Diwali wiped out the improvement in air quality due to a spell of rain.

This morning, Delhi residents woke up to a choking smog cover that reduced visibility and intensified their struggle to breathe.

The AQI in the national capital, which had slipped to "very poor" yesterday as smoke from firecrackers joined air pollution due to stubble burning in north India, has now deteriorated further, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.

While the air quality index in ITO was pegged at 430 at 6 AM, the AQI in Jahangirpuri was recorded at 428, according to the CPCB data.

The AQI in RK Puram was 417, while in Punjabi Bagh, it was 410.

While an AQI level of 400-500 impacts healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases, an AQI level of 301-400 causes respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.

An AQI level of 201-300 and 150-200 may bring discomfort to people with lungs, asthma, and heart diseases.

Most real-time air monitoring platforms this morning pegged the air quality index (AQI) above 500, with some places reaching as high as 900. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium recorded an AQI of 910, Lajpat Nagar 959, and Karol Bagh 779 around 6 am.

The capital city saw an AQI of 312 on Diwali last year, 382 in 2021, 414 in 2020, 337 in 2019, 281 in 2018, 319 in 2017, and 431 in 2016, according to the CPCB data.

Seems like Delhites are fine dying and suffering than not taking precautions and by not burning cracker