The air quality in Delhi remained in the “severe” category at 533 on Saturday morning, two days after Diwali, showed real-time data by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research.

PM10 levels at Connaught Place and near Jantar Mantar were 654 and 382, respectively, ANI reported. PM2.5 levels at Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar and ITO were 628, 341 and 374, respectively.

The air quality index in Delhi was in the “severe” category on Friday as well, according to a bulletin by the Central Pollution Control Board. The city’s average air quality index in the 24 hours till 4 pm on Friday was 462, according to the agency.

An air quality index in the severe category affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases.

The CPCB has predicted that on Sunday, the Punjabi Bagh area in Delhi will have the most polluted air, with PM2.5 levels of 475, while the RK Puram area will have the cleanest air, with PM2.5 levels in the moderate category at 196.

Air pollution in Delhi typically worsens in October and November due to farmers burning stubble in neighbouring states, unfavourable wind speed and emission of fumes by vehicles in the city. Firecrackers ignited for Diwali add to the problem.

In September, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee had banned the sale and bursting of firecrackers up to January 1, 2022. Despite the ban and the deteriorating air quality, the residents of Delhi burst crackers on Diwali on Thursday.

Air quality in other states

Many places in Punjab and Haryana reported bad air quality on Friday after the bursting of firecrackers on Diwali, PTI reported.

Air quality was severe in Faridabad (454), Gurugram (473), Sonipat (411), Rohtak (449) and Hisar (421) in Haryana.

In Punjab, air quality was “poor” in Ludhiana (300) and Patiala (263), and “very poor” in Jalandhar (348).

Punjab reported 3,032 farm fires on the day of Diwali, according to the Hindustan Times. Out of the total cases of stubble burning in the state this year, 55% were reported in the past five days.

The air quality in Chennai fell to the “very poor” category on Diwali day on Thursday, the Hindustan Times reported.

On Friday, the air quality index in Mumbai was in the moderate category at 199, according to the CPCB. The air quality in Kolkata was in the poor category at 207.