Overview
- Delhi’s air quality deteriorated rapidly after a clean late October, with the citywide AQI rising to about 377–379 by Wednesday, Nov. 4 and many monitoring stations reporting readings in the severe range.
- The Decision Support System estimated that stubble burning contributed roughly 20% of Delhi’s particulate load on key days while transport and local emissions together accounted for a comparable share.
- Authorities have enforced GRAP Stage‑II restrictions across Delhi‑NCR and the Commission for Air Quality Management issued show‑cause notices to multiple Punjab district officials over rising farm fires.
- Hospitals and doctors reported an uptick in respiratory cases and worsened symptoms, and meteorological forecasts and the Air Quality Early Warning System predict further deterioration into Nov. 6–7.
- Political tensions have surged as Delhi’s environment minister accused the Punjab AAP of misrepresenting stubble‑burning data and AAP leaders countered by alleging physical interference with AQI monitoring stations.