National

Delhi-NCR to get more toxic amid stubble burning incidents

New Delhi: It was a foggy morning in the national capital and the weather was also cold. The minimum temperature was recorded at 16.3 degrees Celsius. 
The air quality index (AQI) at air quality monitoring stations in Anand Vihar, Bawana, Mundka and Punjabi Bagh was in the severe category. 
      At the same time, the AQI at 28 monitoring centers was in the very poor category. Amid incidents of stubble burning and adverse weather conditions, scientists have warned of a spike in pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR region in the next two weeks.
This is a worrying situation for Delhi, as the air quality index has already crossed 400 in many areas. 
     Health professionals say that this can increase asthma and lung problems in children and the elderly. At 10 am, the city’s air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 351. 
      The 24-hour average AQI was 364 on Wednesday, 359 on Tuesday, 347 on Monday, 325 on Sunday, 304 on Saturday and 261 on Friday.