Delhi choked on toxic air on Friday as the national capital defied the firecracker ban during Diwali. On Friday, the city recorded "very poor" air quality with an Air Quality Index of 359, according to Central Pollution Control Board. 
 
An AQI reading between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 is considered 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 is considered 'moderate', 201 to 300 is considered 'poor', 301 to 400 is considered 'very poor' and 401 to 500 is considered 'severe'.
 
Areas including Lajpat Nagar, Kalkaji, Chhatarpur, Jaunapur, East of Kailash, Saket, Rohini, Dwarka, Punjabi Bagh, Vikas Puri, Dilshad Garden, Burari and many other neighbourhoods of east and west Delhi saw bursting of firecrackers.
 
Station AQI 
Alipur   347
Anand Vihar  394
Ashok Vihar  381
Bawana  384
Burari Crossing  392
DTU  291
Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range  374
Dwarks Sector-8   371
IGI Airport (T3)  372
IBHAS, Dilshad Garden   251
ITO
  		 327
Jahangirpuri  383
Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium  335
Lodhi Road  349
Dhyan Chand Stadium  360
Mandir Marg  365
Mundka  367
NSIT Dwarka  345
Najafgarh  327
Narela  286
Nehru Nagar  376
North Campus, DU  387
Okhla Phase-2  352
Patparganj  353
Punjabi Bagh  387
Pusa DPCC 385
RK Puram  392
Rohini  382
Shadipur  320
Siri Fort  370
Sonia Vihar  387
Sri Aurobindo Marg  309
Vivek Vihar  367
Wazirpur  382

*Figures according to Air Quality Warning and Decision Support System For Delhi under Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology as of 6 am.

On Thursday, Delhi recorded an AQI of 327 at 9 pm which plummeted further overnight to 359. 

The pollutant PM2.5 level was recorded at 144 micrograms per cubic metre at 8 pm on Friday. The PM10 level was 273 micrograms per cubic metre, according to the CPCB's data.

PM2.5 is a fine particulate matter that is capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory system and triggering health problems, whereas PM10 is a particulate matter that is 10 micrometres or less in diameter.

In order to curb the spike in pollution, the Delhi government had imposed announced a comprehensive ban on the manufacture, storage, sale, and use of firecrackers earlier this month. 

On Diwali morning, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai urged Delhiites to celebrate the festival responsibly. He appealed to the people to avoid bursting firecrackers in view of the heightened concerns over pollution.