Punjab has become the centre of a political dispute over worsening air pollution in Delhi and Lahore, with governments on both sides of the border accusing the state of contributing to the deteriorating air quality. However, environmental experts say Punjab alone cannot be held responsible, pointing to wind patterns, local pollution sources and weather conditions as major factors.
Despite the allegations average post Diwali Air Quality Index (AQI) levels recorded in Delhi and Lahore were higher than those across six major cities in Punjab on November 9, 2026.
Punjab recorded an average AQI of 287, placing it in the poor category. Delhi’s average AQI stood at 370 in the very poor category, while Lahore recorded an average of 489 reaching the severe category. Lahore’s AQI reportedly peaked at 648 between 9 am and 10 am.
Wind Direction Suggests Punjab Had Little Impact on Delhi’s Pollution
Experts have questioned the claim that stubble burning in Punjab was the primary reason behind Delhi’s severe post-Diwali pollution.
Prof. Gufran Beig, chair professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and founder of the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), explained that airborne particulate matter can remain in the atmosphere for two to three days and travel considerable distances depending on wind speed and direction.
However, he said winds reaching Delhi during this Diwali period were predominantly easterly and south easterly rather than the usual north-westerly winds that could carry pollution from Punjab towards the capital.
According to Beig Punjab’s contribution to Delhi’s poor air quality this year was negligible or almost zero. He added that Delhi’s pollution was largely driven by its own emission sources, with firecracker emissions further worsening the situation.
He also questioned the claim that Indian Punjab was responsible for Lahore’s pollution, saying experts there needed to examine the actual origin of winds reaching the city.
Delhi’s Pollution Has Several Year Round Sources
Manoj Kumar, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), said Delhi’s pollution cannot be explained solely by seasonal stubble burning.
He identified industries, power plants, vehicles, residential fuel combustion and construction dust as major contributors to the capital’s air pollution.
According to him, stubble burning generally occurs for a few weeks in November, while firecracker emissions affect air quality for a limited period around Diwali. However, Delhi continues to experience poor or very poor air quality during December and January as well.
He argued that these seasonal activities intensify an existing pollution problem rather than being its only cause.
Kumar also cautioned against concluding that Punjab has cleaner air simply because its average AQI was lower than Delhi’s and Lahore’s after Diwali. He pointed out that Punjab has fewer air-quality monitoring stations, and their locations can influence the overall readings. He particularly highlighted the need for more monitoring stations in industrial areas such as Ludhiana.
Surender Paul, Director of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Chandigarh, said winds were not strong enough to carry all of Punjab’s pollutants towards Delhi.
He also forecast rain and thunderstorms across Punjab between November 11 and 13, which were expected to help improve air quality.
Weather conditions, including wind direction, wind speed and atmospheric stability, play an important role in determining how pollutants spread and accumulate.
The pollution dispute has also intensified between the two Punjab regions.
Marriyam Aurangzeb, Environment Minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, blamed fireworks during Diwali for Lahore’s deteriorating air quality.
In a post on social media platform X, she said Lahore’s AQI had increased from 272 on November 7 to 335 on Diwali, November 8.
On November 9, she alleged that polluted air from Indian cities, including Bathinda, Jalandhar, Firozpur, Ludhiana, Khem Karan, Amritsar, Fazilka and Tarn Taran, had travelled towards Lahore through the eastern corridor.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Aurangzeb said pollution crosses international borders and that Lahore and Delhi share an airshed where weather conditions can transport pollutants across national boundaries.
She attributed Lahore’s post Diwali pollution spike to a combination of fireworks, easterly winds and stagnant atmospheric conditions. She called for climate friendly restrictions on conventional fireworks and greater regional cooperation to address cross border pollution.
The issue has also triggered a political confrontation between the BJP led Delhi government and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab.
Delhi Labour Minister and BJP leader Kapil Mishra questioned the sudden rise in reported farm fires in Punjab, claiming that incidents which had remained between 100 and 125 daily from November 5 to 7 increased to around 1,200 locations on Diwali evening.
AAP Punjab media in charge Baltej Pannu rejected the allegations accusing BJP leaders of repeatedly targeting the state’s farmers despite a significant reduction in stubble burning incidents.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also accused the Punjab government of failing to control farm fires and manipulating official data.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, meanwhile, acknowledged the decline in stubble burning over recent years and praised Punjab and Haryana for achieving a reported 90% reduction in farm fires since 2021.
Punjab Pollution Control Board chairperson Reena Gupta said stubble burning in the state had declined by 95%. She added that AQI levels across Punjab’s cities ranged between 164 and 366 even on Diwali while emphasising that further improvements were necessary.
Punjab Chief Minister Mocks Delhi and Lahore’s Allegations
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also criticised the accusations coming from Delhi and Lahore, suggesting that both were blaming Punjab for their own difficulties in controlling pollution.
In a sarcastic response, Mann questioned how smoke from Punjab could supposedly travel in opposite directions to affect both Delhi in the east and Lahore in the west.
He argued that pollution control required governments to address their own local emission sources rather than repeatedly shifting responsibility to neighbouring regions.
The controversy highlights the complex nature of air pollution across the Indo Gangetic region. While stubble burning and fireworks can contribute to short term pollution spikes, experts stress that industrial emissions, vehicles, power generation, construction dust and other local sources remain major challenges.
They say effective pollution control requires reliable monitoring networks, better coordination between states and countries, and sustained action against pollution sources throughout the year rather than focusing only on seasonal events.