Despite the Supreme Court's ban on firecrackers, Delhi and the rest of NCR saw a significant increase in pollution levels during Diwali. The PM2.5 levels rose dramatically, breaching national safety and WHO standards. The pollution was attributed to emissions from firecrackers, stubble burning, and adverse meteorological conditions. Although this year recorded the second lowest Air Quality Index (AQI) on the day after Diwali since 2015, 21 out of 24 stations witnessed higher PM2.5 concentration compared to the previous year.Despite the Supreme Court's ban on firecrackers, Delhi and the rest of NCR saw a significant increase in pollution levels during Diwali. The PM2.5 levels rose dramatically, breaching national safety and WHO standards. The pollution was attributed to emissions from firecrackers, stubble burning, and adverse meteorological conditions. Although this year recorded the second lowest Air Quality Index (AQI) on the day after Diwali since 2015, 21 out of 24 stations witnessed higher PM2.5 concentration compared to the previous year.