Air quality in the Indian capital deteriorated sharply on Monday morning, with the pollution index reaching 404 in several districts, infohub.kz reports.
A thick blanket of toxic smog enveloped Delhi and surrounding areas immediately after Diwali celebrations. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the overall air quality index crossed the critical threshold and moved into the hazardous category. Visibility on the capital's roads dropped sharply during the morning hours, and sensors at key monitoring stations recorded record pollution levels.
The situation was worst in the city's central neighborhoods. At the monitoring station near the ITO intersection, instruments showed 406 points by early morning. In the Rajiv Chowk area, the concentration of harmful substances reached 381, while near South Extension the reading stood at 360 points, corresponding to a very poor level of air quality. The sharp spike was caused by the widespread use of fireworks during the celebrations, which coincided with seasonal stubble burning in the fields of neighboring states.
City authorities introduced the third stage of the emergency air pollution response plan. The regime provides for strict restrictions on construction work, a ban on older diesel trucks and intensified watering of major roads to suppress dust. In Mumbai, meanwhile, conditions were considerably milder: thanks to residents switching to eco-friendly firecrackers, the morning index there stayed at 170 points.