NEW DELHI: On Thursday morning, a thick layer of haze and fog enveloped Delhi, causing the city's air quality to drop into the "very poor" category. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 357, a significant increase from 279 the previous day. This decline in air quality was exacerbated by calm winds and fog, which trapped pollutants close to the ground, leading to reduced visibility across the city.

The Air Quality Early Warning System indicated that Delhi's ventilation index, which measures the atmosphere's ability to disperse pollutants, remained below the ideal level of 6,000 m²/s. At 7:30 a.m., the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded visibility at 1,000 metres in Palam and 800 metres in Safdarjung, both under calm wind conditions. Areas such as Kartavya Path, Anand Vihar, Burari, and Akshardham experienced thick fog during the early hours.

Particularly concerning were the AQI readings in Vivek Vihar and Anand Vihar, which reached severe levels of 415 and 408, respectively. A total of 33 monitoring stations across Delhi reported "very poor" air quality, with readings exceeding 300. According to CPCB classifications, an AQI of 0-50 is considered "good", 51-100 "satisfactory", 101-200 "moderate", 201-300 "poor", 301-400 "very poor", and 401-500 "severe".

The weather conditions also showed a minimum temperature of 20.1°C, which is four degrees above normal, with humidity at 90% at 8:30 a.m. The maximum temperature is expected to reach around 30°C, with shallow fog anticipated again in the evening.

Additionally, Punjab reported a spike in stubble burning, with 283 incidents recorded on Wednesday, contributing to the pollution levels in Delhi. The total number of farm fires since September 15 has now reached 1,216, according to official data.

As the city grapples with worsening air quality, residents are urged to take precautions to protect their health.