Green Diwali Campaign 2026 Covers 130 NCAP Cities

The EIACP Programme Centre - Resource Partner of WWF-India, supported by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, asked the people of Delhi and the National Capital Region to keep this Diwali free of crackers and help the air stay clean. The appeal formed part of the nationwide Green Diwali Campaign 2026, which ran from 20 October to 8 November 2026 under Mission LiFE, or Lifestyle for Environment, with its focus on the 130 cities covered by the National Clean Air Programme across 24 states and union territories.

The air over Delhi

The Central Pollution Control Board placed the air quality of the capital in the Very Poor band, and the Air Quality Early Warning System forecast that it could slip into the Severe band over the festive days. The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas is applying measures under the Graded Response Action Plan across the region to stop the air from getting worse, and citizens were urged to back those efforts and follow the curbs in force.

The Green Diwali Pledge

Every citizen was invited to take a pledge for clean air, good health and a pollution-free environment, and a set of simple steps was laid out. Earthen diyas and eco-friendly candles are preferred over heavy use of electricity. Gifts should be locally made with little packaging. Firecrackers are to be avoided so that air and noise pollution fall and public health is protected. Rangolis can be drawn with flower petals, rice flour and turmeric, and decorations made from upcycled material. Single-use plastic is to be set aside, decorations reused, and waste segregated for recycling. Communities were asked to hold plantation drives, clean-up work and awareness walks, to give away old clothes and usable household items, and to walk, cycle or use public or shared transport for festive travel.

Watching the air

Citizens were also asked to follow the daily Air Quality Index on the Central Pollution Control Board's SAMEER app and to cut down time outdoors on bad air days. A carbon footprint survey of WWF-India was offered so that households can gauge their own environmental footprint and shift to steadier habits. Institutions and groups taking part were asked to report their activities with the name and location of the organisation, the details and date of the activity, the number of participants who took the pledge, geo-tagged photographs and a short report; selected entries may be featured on EIACP platforms.