A thick blanket of smog and dust cloaked Gurugram on Tuesday morning, the city waking up to a post-Diwali haze so dense that visibility in parts dipped below 1,000 metres. The night of fireworks had left the air heavy with smoke and chemicals, pushing Gurugram’s air quality index (AQI) deep into the “very poor” category.
By 4pm on Tuesday, the AQI had touched 370, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) – a massive 75-point jump from Monday’s 295, which itself had risen 50 points from Sunday. The pattern mirrored a grim tradition: a festive night followed by a choking dawn.
Residents described the air as “unbreathable,” with complaints of burning eyes, sore throats, and breathlessness pouring in from across the city. Official data from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) showed that PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations exceeded permissible limits by 211.9% and 170.7%, respectively, between October 19 and October 21. During the same festive period last year, PM2.5 and PM10 had risen by 198.76% and 43%.
“Usually the visibility is around 6,000 -7,000 metres, but due to smog and all it came down below 1,000 metres,” the IMD official said, citing their recording around parts of Gurugram via their automatic weather stations.
Although easterly winds offered marginal relief compared to Monday night’s pollution levels, meteorologists said the weather conditions were insufficient to disperse suspended particulate matter. An India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said wind speeds averaged only 7–10 km/h, compared to the 15–20 km/h typically required for pollutant dispersion. “The weather spell is expected to remain dry for the entire week, with low wind speed towards the south-west. There is very little possibility of overall improvement in air quality until Sunday,” the official cited above said, requesting not to be named.
Gurugram on Tuesday, saw a maximum temperature of 31.8°C, while minimum was at 20.9°C.
Compounding the situation, temperature inversion levels—where warm air traps pollutants close to the ground—rose sharply, with temperatures measured at 19.9°C at 300 metres and reaching 25°C at 580 metres. Atmospheric pressure also remained low, between 1007.5 hPa on Saturday and 1008.1 hPa on Sunday, reducing the likelihood of pollutant dispersal.
Environmental groups criticised the authorities for weak enforcement and inadequate preparation. “The authorities failed on all fronts, such as enforcement of pollution control norms, taking strict action against violators, and community awareness,” said Ruchika Sethi Takkar, member of Citizens for Clean Air. She added that “most societies saw an exponential increase in emission levels, with private monitors showing significant spikes in AQI levels, reaching above 1000 µg/m³ in some places.”
Sethi said people also flouted the three-hour limit for bursting firecrackers, releasing harmful gases such as carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide, which “can aggravate respiratory conditions and reduce oxygen delivery in the body.”
Officials at the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) said they had intensified on-ground enforcement. “We have collected five samples from firecracker godowns in the city to ensure that only CSIR-NEERI-certified green crackers are being sold,” said Krishan Kumar, regional officer and environment engineer (ee), HSPCB Gurugram.
A senior CPCB official added that 60 flying squad teams, along with traffic police, had been deployed to check open waste burning and ensure that construction sites comply with dust control norms.
However, environmentalists argued that such reactive steps are temporary fixes. “We need systemic changes through strict compliance and continuous monitoring, rather than relying solely on short-term measures like sprinklers and smog guns,” said Bhavreen Kandhari, environmental rights advocate and member of My Right To Breathe. “There is an emission cycle — it starts with the production of materials, then we burn them, and finally, we attempt to recycle the remains in Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants, which again emit pollutants.”