3 Things The Catch Up: Delhi pollution soars during Diwali (21 Oct)
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Oct 21, 2025 Delhi’s air quality plunges to alarming levels this Diwali, with pollution soaring to between 1,400 and 1,800 µg/m³. In a political shake-up, JMM withdraws from the Bihar elections due to coalition conflicts. Meanwhile, USCIS clarifies the handling of the controversial $100,000 H-1B fee, providing crucial guidance. On the international front, Japan makes history by electing its first conservative female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. Sadly, the podcast also reflects on the legacy of veteran actor Asrani, who recently passed away.
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Diwali Night Pollution Spike
- Delhi's PM2.5 and PM10 spiked to 15–18 times safe limits on Diwali night, showing extreme short-term pollution surges.
- Multiple locations hit 1,400–1,800 μg/m3, creating dense smog and citywide health warnings.
Localized Extreme Pollution Readings
- Monitoring stations recorded peaks of 1,400–1,800 μg/m3 at Anand Vihar, Dwarka Sector 8, Padparganj and Jahangir Puri.
- Such localized extremes contributed to an AQI reading above hazardous levels across the city.
Sustained Hazardous AQI Overnight
- Citywide AQI values remained in the hazardous range across multiple timestamps overnight and into the morning.
- The persistence of high AQI indicates sustained poor air quality, not a brief spike.