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Delhi Suffocates Under Toxic Air as Stubble Burning Soars
13 Nov
Summary
- Delhi's air quality remains 'severe' for second straight day
- Stubble burning contributes over 22% to Delhi's pollution
- Experts warn of serious health risks even for healthy individuals
As of November 13th, 2025, Delhi's air quality has remained in the 'severe' category for the second straight day, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at a concerning 418. This alarming situation has been largely driven by the surge in stubble burning in the neighboring regions, which contributed a staggering 22.4% to Delhi's PM2.5 concentration on Wednesday.
The severe air pollution has raised serious health concerns, as a 'severe' AQI can adversely affect even healthy individuals, let alone those with existing respiratory or cardiac conditions. According to the Decision Support System (DSS) data, the share of pollution transported from outside the city stood at 15.5% on Wednesday.
Meteorological conditions, including stagnant weather and local emissions, have further exacerbated the air quality crisis in the national capital. Satellite-based data showed a significant increase in farm fire incidents in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, which have significantly contributed to Delhi's toxic air.
Looking ahead, the air quality is projected to remain in the 'very poor' category from Thursday onwards, with stubble burning expected to contribute around 10.1% to Delhi's PM2.5 levels, and transport-related emissions increasing slightly to 19.3%, according to DSS projections.
