Delhi-NCR gasps as AQI plunges to season's worst at 391

Vartha Bharati | 09-11-2025 | 23:50:00 IST

New Delhi (PTI): The air quality in Delhi touched the season's worst level on Sunday morning with the AQI climbing to 391 before dipping slightly.

A blanket of smog shrouded the national capital as temperature dropped to 11.7 degrees Celsius, significantly below the normal range.

At 4 pm the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 370 on Sunday, placing the city in the “red zone”, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.

In the morning, around 8 am, the AQI was recorded at 391 – the season's highest so far – slightly declining two hours later, it added.

Most monitoring stations in Delhi logged pollution levels in the “severe” category, with Punjabi Bagh recording the highest at 425, followed by Bawana at 410, Jahangipuri at 401 and Nehru Nagar and Wazirpur at 400, according to data from the CPCB's Sameer app.

The app compiles readings from 38 monitoring stations across the national capital.

In the NCR region, Noida recorded the highest AQI of 354, followed by Ghaziabad at 345 and Greater Noida at 340 – all falling in the “very poor” category, the data further showed.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 to 100 "satisfactory", 101 to 200 "moderate", 201 to 300 "poor", 301 to 400 "very poor" and 401 to 500 "severe", according to CPCB.

On Sunday PM2.5 remained the key pollutant in the city.

According to the Decision Support System (DSS) for air quality forecasting, stubble burning contributed around five per cent to Delhi's pollution, while the transport sector emerged as the highest contributor at 20 per cent on Sunday.

Satellite data showed 238 stubble-burning incidents in Punjab, 42 in Haryana, and 158 in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.

The Air Quality Early Warning System for the city has predicted that Delhi's air quality will remain in the “very poor” category over the next few days.

Since Diwali, the national capital's air quality has consistently remained in the “poor” or “very poor” category, occasionally slipping into the “severe” zone.

Delhi registered a minimum temperature of 11.7 degree Celsius while the maximum settled at 28.1 degree Celsius, 1.4 notches below normal.

On Saturday, the city recorded its lowest minimum temperature of the season so far at 11 degree Celsius.

The weather department has predicted shallow fog for Monday morning, with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 28 and the minimum temperature predicted to be around 12 degree Celsius.

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Nothing wrong in MLAs aspiring for ministerial position: K'taka HM Parameshwara

13-04-2026 ¦ 13-04-2026 IST

Photo: PTI

Bengaluru (PTI): Amid a group of ruling Congress MLAs camping in Delhi with a cabinet rejig demand for their inclusion, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said there was nothing wrong in legislators aspiring for ministerial positions.

He asserted that experienced MLAs were capable of handling such responsibilities.

His remarks came a day after senior and first-time MLAs stepped up lobbying efforts in the national capital with the party high command, seeking a cabinet reshuffle and greater representation.

"There is nothing wrong in them asking for it (ministerial position)," Parameshwara, a senior Congress leader, said

He added that the MLAs, some of who have been elected thrice, are capable to take up the ministerial positions.

He maintained that the final call on any cabinet reshuffle rests with the party high command.

"Our Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah), the high command, and our party (state) president (DK Shivakumar) decide about reshuffle. These three sit together and take a decision," he said.

The minister also indicated that the established procedure for cabinet formation was likely being followed.

"Earlier too, when I was the (state Congress) president, during cabinet formation, the Pradesh Congress Committee president, the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader, and our in-charge general secretaries would take decisions that would then be presented before our AICC president, approval would be obtained, and then it would be announced," he said.

He added that even today the same procedure is followed.

Responding to questions on whether senior ministers would make way for newcomers, Parameshwara said they would abide by the party's decision.

"If the high command decides then we have to accept it. There is no question of not accepting it," he said.

Stressing on party discipline, he added, "Whether it is me, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, or Energy Minister K J George, we all are seniors. If they (high command) decide that we should be replaced and make changes, then there is no question of us opposing it."

Clarifying that discussions were limited to a possible cabinet reshuffle, he said decisions on leadership matters were entirely in the hands of the high command.

He said the discussions were limited only to the Cabinet rejig and not changing the party state president, a post being held by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar for the past six years.

"Right now we are discussing cabinet reshuffle, not about the party president. All such matters are left to the high command," he said.

Recalling his own appointment as state Congress president in the past, Parameshwara said he had not lobbied for the post. "When I was made president, I did not lobby for it. Our leader Sonia Gandhi took the decision. It came as a surprise to me. I had not asked for it," he said.

On Sunday, several senior MLAs travelled to Delhi to press for a cabinet reshuffle, while first-time legislators renewed their demand for representation, seeking at least five berths in the Siddaramaiah-led ministry.

The push for a rejig comes amid internal rumblings within the ruling party and speculation over leadership issues, even as the high command is yet to take a final call.