New Delhi, Oct 17 : The capital is raring for Diwali celebrations this weekend. The permission for bursting green firecrackers, this Diwali, has added zing to the excitement and festive mood. However, the dipping air quality ahead of the festival is threatening to play spoiler.

Air quality in the capital as well as the National Capital Region (NCR) has fallen to the 'very poor' category, creating concerns for both the public and the administration.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) was measured at 367 this morning.

Many parts of the Delhi-NCR region registered air quality below substandard levels this morning. Ghaziabad remained the most polluted city, followed by Noida and Delhi.

In Ghaziabad, the AQI reached 301, which is considered "very poor." Loni area recorded AQI of 352, very close to the "severe" category, while Sanjay Nagar recorded an AQI of 288, Indirapuram 280, and Vasundhara 284.

PM10 levels also reached 307 levels on October 16, 254 on October 15, and 261 on October 14.

The situation in Noida was no better. Sector 125 recorded AQI of 337, Sector 116 recorded AQI of 269, Sector 1 recorded an AQI of 257, while Sector 62 recorded an AQI of 218.

The situation in Delhi was also concerning. According to the official data, the Anand Vihar area recorded the worst air quality this morning, with AQI hitting 365, falling in the "severe" category. The AQI was recorded at 333 in Wazirpur, 306 in Bawana, and 283 in Mundka.

Notably, the AQI reading is categorised under various categories -- as Good (0-50), Satisfactory (51-100), Moderately Polluted (101-200), Poor (201-300), Very Poor (301-400), and Severe (401-500).

The Meteorological Department and environmental experts believe that slow wind speeds and dropping temperatures are the main reasons behind pollutants filling the air, making it toxic, particularly for the elderly and children.

/IANS