Delhi AQI hits 331 as pollution spikes ahead of Diwali, many areas in severe zone

A thick blanket of smog engulfed Delhi on Tuesday morning, with the city waking up to another spell of deteriorating air quality just days ahead of Diwali. The national capital's average Air Quality Index (AQI) climbed to 331 at 7 am, entering the ‘very poor’ category, while 8 monitoring stations recorded readings above 400, falling in the ‘severe’ zone, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).The haze stretched beyond Delhi, with high-rise buildings in Noida and Gurugram disappearing behind a shroud of smog. With Diwali less than a week away, the deteriorating air quality has added to concerns over another spell of pollution in the national capital.The deterioration follows a sharp decline in air quality on Monday, when Delhi recorded its first ‘very poor’ AQI reading of the season. The index stood at 312 at 9 am before climbing to 324 by 4 pm and rising further to 331 by 7 am on Tuesday, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).- Ends