Why is Delhi's air quality poor in winter despite fewer farm fires?

Local sources like vehicle emissions, industry, and waste burning are the primary drivers of Delhi's winter pollution, even when farm fire contributions are low.

What are the main pollutants affecting Delhi's air quality?

The main pollutants are PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and carbon monoxide (CO), forming a 'toxic cocktail' linked to combustion and vehicular emissions.

What are the key recommendations to improve Delhi's air quality?

Recommendations include vehicle electrification, expanded public transport, parking controls, cleaner industrial fuels, and elimination of waste burning.

Home / Environment / Delhi's Air: Toxic Cocktail Chokes Winter Despite Low Farm Fires

Delhi's Air: Toxic Cocktail Chokes Winter Despite Low Farm Fires

1 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Vehicles and local sources create a toxic cocktail of PM2.5, NO2, and CO.
Delhi-NCR air quality remains poor, with rising pollution hotspots.
Farm fires contributed minimally, yet air quality saw little improvement.

Delhi's Air: Toxic Cocktail Chokes Winter Despite Low Farm Fires

Even with a multi-year low in farm fires, Delhi-NCR's winter air remains severely polluted. For October and November, pollution levels hovered between 'very poor' and 'severe' due to a "toxic cocktail" of PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and carbon monoxide (CO). These pollutants are mainly emitted from vehicles and other local sources, creating a concerning proliferation of pollution hotspots.

Analysis reveals that smaller NCR towns also experienced longer smog episodes, indicating the region increasingly functions as a single airshed. While the contribution of stubble burning dropped significantly, it did not improve daily air quality. PM2.5 remained the dominant pollutant on most days, underscoring the persistent impact of local sources like traffic, industry, and waste burning.