# Delhi AQI hits 369 on Diwali eve, worst in 10 years 2026-11-08T05:11:41+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Delhi recorded its most polluted Diwali eve in a decade on Saturday, 7 November, with the air quality index (AQI) reaching 369 at 4 pm, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category on the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) 0-500 scale. This was the highest AQI recorded on the day before Diwali since 2016, when it touched 404. The city woke up to Diwali on Sunday, 8 November, after the spike in pollution levels. The reading was taken by the CPCB. ## Indian Opinion Analysis An AQI of 369 means residents breathed air classified as ‘very poor’, a level that can cause respiratory illness on prolonged exposure. The fact that this is the highest pre-Diwali reading in a decade undercuts years of official claims that crackdowns on firecrackers and stubble burning are working. The next concrete number to watch is the AQI on Diwali night itself, when firecracker use typically spikes and readings often climb higher. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com Led with the AQI figure and CPCB scale, no editorialising or blame attribution. This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: AQI, Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi, Diwali Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-aqi-hits-369-on-diwali-eve-worst-in-10-years/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-aqi-hits-369-on-diwali-eve-worst-in-10-years/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/