Overview
- Delhi’s 24-hour AQI eased to the upper end of very poor around 386–390 after a three-day severe spell, but several stations stayed in the severe zone with Wazirpur near 450 and Siri Fort reported as high as 495, according to CPCB data.
- Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan remains active across Delhi-NCR, with non-essential construction suspended, curbs on higher-emitting activities, and primary classes allowed hybrid mode to limit exposure.
- Source attribution from IITM’s DSS estimated stubble burning at about 8.5% of Delhi’s PM2.5 on Friday with transport near 19.8%, and projected the farm-fire share to rise to roughly 16% on Saturday.
- The Supreme Court sought status reports from Punjab and Haryana on stubble-burning controls, as authorities continued enforcement drives and health advisories across the region.
- The smog episode is regional, with Mumbai logging unhealthy to very poor pockets (some sites near hazardous), Gurugram averaging poor with hotspots above 300, Bhopal seeing very poor days, and Lahore registering hazardous readings above 500 on IQAir.