Overview
- Official CPCB data put Delhi’s 24‑hour AQI at 311 on Thursday and 322 in Friday’s 4 pm bulletin, with PM2.5 as the main pollutant.
- The DSS estimates farm fires contributed 21.5% of PM2.5 on Thursday, rising to about 36.9% on Friday and 32.4% on Saturday, while transport accounted for roughly 16.2% on Thursday.
- Satellite and state reports recorded a sharp rise in crop-residue burning, including 351 fires in Punjab on Thursday, with additional incidents in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
- Private platforms showed extreme short-term spikes—IQAir readings topped 700 early Friday—highlighting a gap with official 24-hour averages near the low 300s.
- Authorities ran cleaning and water-sprinkler operations and stepped up enforcement as experts urged N95 masks and reduced outdoor activity, and activists rallied at Jantar Mantar for stronger action.