Delhi’s air quality has deteriorated to severe levels, forcing Noida schools to operate online until November 27. The District Inspector of Schools confirmed the suspension of physical classes due to hazardous AQI readings.

PM IST Delhi-NCR Air Pollution: Due to the persistently bad air quality, the Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate said on Saturday that all of the district's schools will remain closed until November 25.

Whatever the causes of the smog, by one ranking Delhi was not just the most polluted city in the world, but “nearly five times as bad as the second most polluted city, Dhaka,” in Bangladesh next door, as Shashi Tharoor, a leader of the opposition in Parliament and best-selling author, posted on X.

Unhealthy

Toxic smog engulfed much of northern India on Monday and pollution readings in New Delhi hit their highest of this pre-winter season, after dense fog overnight.

Residents of the national capital breathed in despair on Saturday, with the air quality plunging back to the 'severe' category as average Air Quality Index (AQI) pegged at 412.

India said on Sunday that it would tighten restrictions including on construction activities and vehicle movements in New Delhi and surrounding areas from Monday to combat worsening air quality. The new measures,

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),

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