Experts attribute the deteriorating conditions to a mix of vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, and unfavourable weather patterns

Delhi`s air quality slipped back to the `severe` category on Saturday morning with an AQI of 420 while the minimum temperature was recorded at 11.4 degrees Celsius. Out of 38 monitoring stations, nine recorded air quality in the `severe plus` category with AQI exceeding 450.

At 6 am on Saturday, the CPCB recorded Delhi’s AQI at 419, which placed it back in the ‘severe’ category.

The Central Pollution Control Board data shows of the 38 monitoring stations in Delhi, nine reported AQI readings in the “severe” range.

Due to rising pollution levels, schools in various cities such as Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram have been shut down, and online classes are now being conducted.

Delhi experienced worse-than-predicted air quality, with 'severe' to 'severe plus' AQI levels despite forecasts of 'very poor'. The forecasting system

The CPCB, India's official environmental watchdog, caps AQI readings at a maximum of 500, which signifies "severe" pollution levels. In contrast, international platforms often report AQI values exceeding 1,000 for the same locations, leaving the public perplexed.

The AQI in Anand Vihar was recorded as 457; the AQI in Ashok Vihar was 455; Chandni Chowk's AQI was 439 and RK Puram recorded an AQI of 421.

With the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reading 422 at 6 AM on Saturday, Delhi was once again engulfed in a dense layer of poisonous haze as the air quality fell into the "Severe" category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB),

A thick layer of smog engulfed the national capital on Friday while the air quality index in Delhi remained in the 'very poor' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Drone visuals from the Mayur Vihar and Kalindi Kunj areas revealed the thick density of smog.