Delhiites woke up to a thick cloud of toxic air on Sunday as pollution levels soared yet again! Early Sunday morning, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at a scary 392, placing Delhi deep into the ‘very poor’ air zone. Some spots didn’t stop there — Alipur, ITO, Nehru Nagar, and Wazirpur battled “severe” pollution with AQIs crossing 400, making Delhi one of the worst polluted cities in India. At 7 am, 21 out of 39 monitoring stations in the city showed ‘severe’ pollution. Even Noida and Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region (NCR) faced a tough time, with AQI values in the ‘very poor’ bracket — Noida at 354 and Ghaziabad at 339. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), any AQI above 400 is extremely dangerous, while 301-400 is very poor. But here is a silver lining! The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) said that despite the high hourly AQI hitting 380, early November’s air quality is better than last year. DPCC chairman Sandeep Kumar noted, “Six out of the first seven days of November had better AQI than last year,” thanks to government efforts and departmental actions. The big worry, however, is to avoid Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which brings heavy restrictions. Last year, GRAP 3 started on November 13, but Kumar is hopeful this time Delhi can dodge that due to “sustained efforts” and good public cooperation. Meanwhile, Noida and Ghaziabad saw their worst October air pollution in five years! According to CPCB data, Noida’s average AQI in October 2025 was a shocking 236, higher than previous years, and Ghaziabad had 227. Ritesh Tiwari from UP Pollution Control Board blamed early Diwali celebrations forcing people outdoors, busting crackers, and causing heavy traffic jams — all shooting pollution sky-high. What makes Delhi’s air so dangerous? It’s tiny killers called PM2.5 and PM10 — fine dust particles from vehicle smoke, industries, and dust from roads. These invisible villains can enter lungs and blood, posing high health risks to kids, elders, and those with breathing problems. Some residents worried after videos showed water sprinkling near pollution monitors, suspecting data tampering. DPCC replied that sprinkling happens citywide and does not affect sensor readings much because sensors cover a large area. Still, questions remain about how clean Delhi’s air data really is. An analysis by Hindustan Times warned about missing pollution readings and possible data tricks making air quality look better than reality. One thing is clear: Delhi’s air is choking its citizens, and the battle against pollution is far from over. Will the city’s efforts and public cooperation keep the air cleaner and GRAP stage 3 away? Only time will tell!