Air quality across the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) remained alarmingly high on Friday, with the capital recording its fourth consecutive day in the 'poor' category as pollution levels surge in the run-up to Diwali.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 254 for Delhi at 4 pm. However, the situation was grimmer in the neighbouring NCR cities. Ghaziabad registered a 'very poor' AQI of 306, making it the most polluted city in the country on Friday. Noida (278) and Gurugram (266) also suffered 'poor' air, placing the entire cluster among India's top polluted areas. Only Faridabad offered a slight reprieve, settling in the 'moderate' range at 105.

Within Delhi, five of the 38 monitoring stations tipped into the 'very poor' category. Anand Vih

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