Bad air

where the AQI was in the poor category – between 201 and 300 – since Sunday. On Saturday, the AQI was far lower, at 125 – a category considered moderate.

Pollution monitoring officials said further risk of air quality worsening could not be ruled out since farm fires were continuing in Punjab and Haryana. According to satellite imagery analysis by Punjab Agriculture University, there were 6,668 fires on Tuesday – possibly a new singleday record.

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered a complete prohibition on crop stubble burning and said the capital’s residents were “losing precious years” of their lives, adding “people are dying, this just cannot happen in a civilised country.” On Tuesday, the SC registered a fresh case on its own and said it will take up the matter on Wednesday. A special bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta will hear the suo motu case entitled, “Alarming rise in air pollution in Delhi and adjoining areas”, for hearing along with the pending matters on pollution.

The principal secretary to the Prime Minister, PK Mishra held a high-level meeting with senior officials in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi through video conferencing on Sunday where it was decided that strict action will be taken. “PM Narendra Modi chaired a meeting in which the situation arising due to pollution in various parts of northern India was discussed,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted later.