With AQI over 400, Delhi-NCR grapples with 'severe' air quality post Diwali

As a result of smoke from the firecrackers, the overall AQI in Delhi jumped to 422, which falls in the severe category, according to the data by SAFAR

A thick blanket of haze continued to engulf the national capital on Friday, experts warned that the air quality is likely to worsen further as the pollution level entered the "severe-plus emergency" category, or 11 times the permissible limit, due to rampant bursting of toxic firecrackers on Diwali, in violation of a Supreme Court order.

The Supreme Court's firecracker ban on Diwali was violated with impunity across Delhi and NCR on Diwali with people bursting crackers till late into the night leading to a thick haze on Thursday morning and air quality dipping six times from the normal.

As a