With Diwali just around the corner, air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) has begun to deteriorate once again, slipping into the ‘very poor’ category.

According to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 7:56 AM on Oct. 18, Delhi's Anand Vihar recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 384. Bawana registered an AQI of 307, while the figures for Narela stood at 274. Nehru Nagar recorded an AQI of 282, and at CRRI Mathura Road, it stood at 246, all remaining in the ‘poor’ category.

The air quality near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was also poor, with an AQI of 252, and Okhla Phase 2 recorded 228. Lodhi Road and Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3 registered relatively lower AQIs of 230 and 200, respectively.

As per the CPCB, an AQI scor

See Full Page