Pollution hangs over Delhi as farm stubble fires rage; AQI worsens

New Delhi’s air quality was at its worst this season on Thursday, as winds heavy with toxic smoke from polluting vehicles and smouldering crop waste fires in neighbouring states lingered low over the Indian capital.

Average air pollution this month hit its worst in two years after farmers made an early start on burning crop stubble left in their fields after harvests.

Smoke from such fires has contributed to more than a third of Thursday’s pollution in Delhi, said environment monitoring agency SAFAR, adding that the previous day’s count of 2,900 crop waste fires was the season’s highest yet.

Winds