Delhi Air Pollution 2025: Why November is Always the Worst Month & What Actually Works

Delhi’s air turns toxic every November like clockwork. In 2025, the combination of stubble burning, temperature inversion, and calm winds has once again pushed AQI beyond 450. This is not just another smog season — it’s the worst in three years. Here’s exactly why it happens, who is responsible, and what actually reduces exposure.

# Delhi Air Pollution 2025: Why November is Always the Worst Month & What Actually Works The air quality in the national capital has deteriorated to the ‘Severe’ and ‘Hazardous’ categories yet again in the third week of November 2025, with several monitoring stations recording AQI above 450. This is the sixth consecutive year that Delhi has entered the winter choking under a thick blanket of smog. But why does this happen **every single November** — and why is 2025 shaping up to be one of the worst? ### The Perfect Storm: 4 Factors That Make November Lethal 1. **Punjab & Haryana Stubble Burning Peak** NASA satellite data shows that farm-fire incidents crossed 2,200 in the first 18 days of November 2025 — the highest since 2021. Smoke travels 200–300 km and gets trapped over Delhi-NCR. 2. **Temperature Inversion (Nature’s Lid)** Daytime temperature 26–29°C, night 11–14°C → warm air rises and traps cold, polluted air near the ground like a lid. Wind speed drops below 5 km/h for days. 3. **Vehicle + Industrial Emissions (The Local Culprit)** Delhi has 12+ million registered vehicles. Even with BS-VI fuel, low-speed traffic and diesel generators (still used in Gurugram & Noida) add massive PM2.5. 4. **Construction Dust & Road Dust** Over 1,500 construction sites + unpaved roads contribute 25–30% of PM10 according to DPCC’s own source apportionment studies. ### Historical Comparison: Is 2025 Really the Worst? | Year | Peak November AQI | GRAP Stage Reached | Days in Severe+ | |------------|-------------------|--------------------|-----------------| | 2019 | 625 | Stage IV | 18 | | 2020 | 480 | Stage IV | 12 | | 2021 | 510 | Stage IV | 14 | | 2022 | 410 | Stage III | 9 | | 2023 | 445 | Stage IV | 11 | | 2024 | 471 | Stage IV | 15 | | **2025** | **495+ (so far)** | Stage III (IV likely) | **On track for 20+** | 2025 is on course to match or exceed 2019 levels if western disturbances don’t arrive by November 25. ### Who is Responsible? (The Numbers Don’t Lie) | Source (DPCC + IIT Kanpur 2024 Study) | Contribution to PM2.5 | |---------------------------------------|-----------------------| | Biomass burning (farm fires) | 35–42% | | Vehicles | 20–25% | | Road dust | 18–22% | | Industries + power plants | 10–15% | | Construction | 8–12% | | Household cooking & waste burning | 5–8% | ### What Actually Works: Solutions That Have Evidence **Short-term (this winter)** - N95/N99 masks with valve (Cambridge, 3M, Honeywell) — reduce 95%+ PM2.5 inhalation - HEPA + Activated Carbon air purifiers (minimum CADR 300 m³/h for 400 sq ft room) - Car cabin filters changed + recirculation mode on **Long-term (what governments must do)** - ₹15,000 crore stubble management subsidy actually reaching farmers - 100% transition of industry to PNG by 2027 - Double-decker flyovers + Eastern/Western Peripheral Expressway enforcement - Odd-even 2.0 with strict enforcement + higher parking fees ### The Human Cost: Beyond Numbers AIIMS Delhi reported a 42% surge in respiratory OPD cases in the first 18 days of November 2025. Children below 5 and elderly above 65 are being admitted with acute bronchitis and COPD exacerbations. “Every November feels like living inside a chimney,” says Dr. Arvind Kumar, chest surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. ### What You Can Do Today 1. Download an AQI app (Sameer/CPCB) and avoid outdoor activity when AQI > 300 2. Use public transport or carpool — one less car = 2–3 kg less CO2 per day 3. Gift an air purifier to elderly relatives 4. Complain about visible smoke from neighbours (use Green Delhi app) Delhi’s air doesn’t have to be this bad every winter. 2025 can be the turning point — if action matches the data. Stay safe, stay indoors, and keep fighting for cleaner air.