New Delhi’s air quality was at its worst this season on Thursday, as winds heavy with toxic smoke from polluting vehicles and smoldering crop waste fires in neighboring states lingered low over the Indian capital. Average air pollution this month hit its worst in two years after farmers made an early start on burning crop stubble left in their fields after harvests. Just over half of Delhi’s 36 monitoring stations had readings above 400 on a scale of 500, indicating “severe” pollution that authorities say can affect healthy people and seriously harm any who are already ill. The index of overall air quality (AQI), measuring the concentration of microscopic particles known as PM2.5, which can be deadly, was at an eight-month high. Deteriorating air quality has already caused a spike in respiratory infections, doctors have said.Delhi’s government is working to clear the toxic air by restricting construction and other dust-raising activities, Environment Minister Gopal Rai has said.
