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Delhi woke up to toxic air on Friday morning, as its overall Air Quality Index (AQI) spiked to 727, placing it in the “hazardous” category, according to real-time data from Swiss monitoring platform IQAir. The city has been reeling under deteriorating air conditions since Diwali, with a mix of stubble burning, post-festival pollution, and stagnant winds trapping pollutants close to the surface. Stubble burning dominates pollution sources According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, stubble burning remains the biggest contributor to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels. The share of crop residue burning in neighbouring states was projected to rise from 21.5% on Thursday to 36.9% on Friday, before slightly dropping to 32.4% on Saturday. Satellite imagery showed 94 stubble fires in Punjab, 13 in Haryana, and 74 in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, as per PTI. Transport emissions were the second-largest contributor, estimated at 11.2% on Friday, after accounting for over 16% the previous day. Delhi ranks 4th among most polluted Indian cities Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed Delhi ranking fourth among the most polluted cities on Thursday, behind Rohtak, which topped the list with an AQI of 348.PM2.5 remained the dominant pollutant, with 32 out of 38 monitoring stations across Delhi NCR reporting air quality in the ‘very poor’ category, crossing the 300-mark on the CPCB’s Sameer App. Wind relief likely later in the day Officials have said that a marginal improvement could occur later on Friday as wind speeds pick up, potentially helping disperse the dense smog blanketing the city. Protests erupt over government inaction Amid worsening conditions, over 80 protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar on Thursday to demonstrate against what they called the government’s “failure to tackle Delhi’s air emergency.”Organised by Scientists for Society and the Campaign for Right to Public Health, the protest saw participation from students, journalists, and activists, including members of Naujawan Bharat Sabha and Disha Students’ Organisation. The demonstrators demanded stronger action against stubble burning, vehicular emissions, and industrial pollution. Public health at risk Health experts have warned residents to limit outdoor activity, use N95 masks, and deploy air purifiers indoors. Prolonged exposure to hazardous air can cause respiratory distress, heart complications, and long-term lung damage, particularly among children and the elderly.
