With AQI at 167, Delhi continues to choke on 'very poor' air quality

The fall in air quality is mostly credited to the burning of stubble in neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab

Delhi's air quality, which nosedived to "very poor" level a day after Dussehera, remained in the same category on Sunday morning.

The slump in air quality on Saturday was largely attributed to stubble-burning in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana and the combined effects of Dussehra and meteorological reasons such as low winds.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) labelled NCR's air quality as 'very poor' with average PM2.5 concentration of 167. 

The level of PM2.5 indicates the density of particles with diameter less than 2.5 mm in the air.

According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the average concentration of PM2.5 was over 180 in R K Puram, Anand Vihar, Dwarka among others.

The permissible range or PM2.5 is 60 as per national standards and 25 by the international standards.

On Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned that Delhi will turn into a 'gas chamber' soon.

He expressed his disappointment that the Centre along with the state governments of Punjab and Haryana did not do anything to manage stubble.

The state Environment Minister Imran Hussain on Thursday formed an inspection team to carry out surprise checks in the capital to check air pollution violations.

Hussain asserted that the inspections by the six-member committee will be carried out to check "ground level steps" being taken by various municipal and local bodies -- North and East Municipal corporation, Public Works Department (PWD) and Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB) - for prevention, control and mitigation of air pollution in Delhi.

CPCB Air pollution figures (at around 10.00 am on Sunday): 

Place	PM2.5	PM10
R K Puram	183	300
Anand Vihar	181	394
Dwarka	182	NA
Gurgaon	146	NA
Faridabad	162	162