Toxic haze surrounds Delhi-NCR, Air Quality Index touches 716

Air quality in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) on Friday deteriorated further due to continued stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana. According to the Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletin, Thursday was the most polluted day in October this year.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the overall air quality in Delhi deteriorated to 425, which falls under the "severe" category.

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It is worth noting that all the pollution measuring stations in Delhi-NCR are recording AQI levels above 400, with the poorest air quality recorded at outer Delhi's Bawana (716).

Places like Anand Vihar (478), Alipur (473), Aya Nagar (430), Dwarka (447), Major Dhyanchand Stadium (445) and Patparganj (443) witnessed air quality deteriorate further, as per Central Pollution Control Board's latest air quality data.

Data shows that the contribution of stubble burning to the toxic haze and air pollution in Delhi-NCR was 35 percent on Wednesday, but was expected to reduce by 10 percent on Thursday. However, the level of haze shrouding the national capital and surrounding regions seems to have jumped today.

Air quality in the national capital saw a sharp dip after Diwali Celebrations has been deteriorating  as stubble burning continues in parts of Punjab and Haryana despite a ban.

 The city is expected to remain blanketed under the pungent haze for the fourth consecutive day as over  20 of the 37 AQI monitoring stations across Delhi recorded severe air quality levels.

Meanwhile, neighboring Ghaziabad emerged as the most polluted city in the country, with the levels of PM 2.5-tiny particulate matter less than 2.5 microns-reaching as high as over 480.