India, Nov. 7 -- With the Capital's air quality index (AQI) inching towards the "severe" level since the start of this week, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday invoked curbs under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) in Delhi-NCR ahead of expected further deterioration due to firecracker bursting.

Delhi's AQI was 382 on Friday, in the "very poor" zone, according to the 24-hour average released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in its daily 4pm bulletin. It was only 18 points fewer than the threshold of "severe" AQI, and worse off than the AQI of 369 recorded the day before.

The CAQM said it took the decision to implement Stage 3 curbs after reviewing the pollution and forecasts provided b...