Delhi continues to choke on toxic air as winters approach | Check AQI today

The national capital continued to suffer from toxic air, with a dense layer of smog covering parts of the city on Sunday morning for the 10th consecutive day after Diwali. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 335, falling under the ‘very poor’ category.
As per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India), several areas of the city reported very poor air quality levels on Sunday morning.
As per SAFAR-India data, various areas in Delhi reported alarming AQI levels, including Anand Vihar at 351, Bawana at 383, CRRI Mathura Road at 323, Dwarka Sector 8 at 341, IGI Airport at 326, ITO at 328, Lodhi Road at 319, Mundka at 358, Najafgarh at 341, New Moti Bagh at 394, Okhla Phase-2 at 339, RK Puram at 368, and Wazirpur at 366.
Visuals from Delhi’s Kartavya Path revealed the area around India Gate shrouded in smog, with an AQI of 357 recorded at 7 am. High-rise buildings in Kalindi Kunj and nearby areas were also enveloped in smog, where the AQI stood at 323.
Dhaula Kuan, too, was covered in smog, with the AQI dropping to 394, classified as ‘very poor’ by the CPCB.
The AQI categories are as follows: “poor” between 200 and 300, “very poor” from 301 to 400, “severe” from 401 to 450, and anything above 450 is considered “severe plus.”
As air pollution levels in Delhi reach “very poor” status, doctors have warned that even those with no history of respiratory issues are now experiencing breathing difficulties.
Nikhil Modi, a senior doctor, told ANI that in addition to regular patients, individuals without any prior respiratory conditions are presenting symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and increased difficulty breathing.
He also recommended that the government close schools, as children are particularly vulnerable. “Whenever the pollution levels have gone beyond a certain limit, the government has opted to close the schools,” the doctor said.
“For the last few years, we have been seeing that the government has taken action. Whenever this pollution level has gone beyond a certain limit, they have opted to close the schools. This is important because children are from a vulnerable group. As an adult, we are masked and can protect ourselves better, but children usually are not that effectively taking these measures. Secondly, their lungs are still in developing stages, so they are bound to have more harm due to this pollution,” the doctor explained.