Diwali 2020 in the national capital might just end increasing the city’s woes. For instance, even as the city battles its third wave of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections this month, after June and September, residents thronged to the market in Sadar Bazaar, unmindful of the consequences. Photo: Vikas Choudhary / CSEOn the other hand, Delhi’s air quality has continued to plummet. This, despite the city witnessing brilliantly blue skies earlier this year during the COVID-19 lockdown. But with farmers in Punjab and Haryana burning their paddy residue in October, things were back to square one. This photo is near the Akshardham Metro station in Delhi. Photo: Vikas Choudhary / CSE On Diwali night, people across Delhi openly flouted the ban on bursting firecrackers. There was a total ban against the sale or use of all kinds of fire crackers in the National Capital Region from the midnight of November 9-10 till the midnight of November 30-December 1, 2020. It was instituted by the National Green Tribunal. Here, people burst crackers in Kaushambi, Ghaziabad. Photo: Vikas Choudhary / CSEAir quality across Delhi and the National Capital Region plummeted the day after Diwali. The overall real time air quality index (AQI) around 12 pm November 15 breached the 500 mark and was recorded at 525. The AQI average of the past 24 hours, however, was 435. Here, the India Gate is shrouded in smog. Photo: Vikas Choudhary / CSEWith the capital choking in polluted, toxic air, its residents having flouted COVID-19 norms and there being a scientifically-proven link between COVID-19 and air pollution, what lies ahead? Well, only the coming months will tell. Here, youngsters play soccer in the smog near India Gate. Photo: Vikas Choudhary / CSE