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

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.

Delhi faces a severe environmental crisis as the AQI hit hazardous levels in multiple areas. Delhi Police enforced vehicle checks and a ban on older diesel vehicles to combat air pollution, which has been critically impacting residents’ health.

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.

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.

People in Delhi woke up to a hazy morning with a minimum temperature of 11.3 degrees Celsius as the air quality remained in the "very poor" category recording an overall AQI of 373. Out of 38 monitoring stations in the city,