Delhi Suffers ‘Very Poor’ Air Quality as Smog Chokes the Capital

Delhi continued to choke under a thick blanket of toxic smog on Monday, with air quality hovering in the “very poor” category across the National Capital Region (NCR). The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 316, slightly down from Sunday’s 366, but still high enough to cause breathing discomfort, particularly among children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or heart conditions.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), major NCR cities — Gurugram (357), Ghaziabad (351), Noida (348), and Greater Noida (340) — all recorded “very poor” air quality. The Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) predicted that the toxic haze is likely to persist until at least November 4 due to stagnant winds and unfavorable weather conditions.

One of the key contributors to the spike is stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, where farmers set fire to leftover paddy straw to clear fields quickly for the next sowing season. Data from the Centre’s Decision Support System showed that the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s pollution rose from 1.6% on Friday to over 9% on Saturday. Though incidents dipped slightly later, Punjab still reported 178 fresh farm fires on Sunday, taking the season’s total to more than 2,200.

As pollution levels worsened, the Supreme Court stepped in, directing the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to file an affidavit detailing its preventive measures. The bench, led by Chief Justice BR Gavai, criticised authorities for acting only when pollution reaches “severe” levels. The court also noted media reports that several air quality monitoring stations were non-functional during Diwali, raising questions about the city’s preparedness.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has imposed restrictions on polluting vehicles and experimented with cloud seeding, though results have been limited. Despite the hazardous air, several marathons and cycling events went ahead over the weekend, prompting outrage on social media.

Health experts have issued stark warnings. Senior pulmonologist Dr Gopi Chand Khilnani advised people with chronic conditions — and those who can afford to — to leave Delhi for a few weeks. He warned that prolonged exposure to the city’s pollution is leading to a rise in lung cancer among non-smokers, along with heart and immune system complications.