jAIPUR, Nov. 8 -- Air pollution levels have begun increasing across Rajasthan ahead of Diwali, with several districts recording poor air quality as winter approaches. Bhiwadi in Khairthal-Tijara district recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 349 at its RIICO Industrial Area III monitoring station on Saturday, placing it in the "very poor" category, according to data published by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). The IITM's Air Quality Early Warning and Decision Support System, developed for the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB), showed that pollution levels were particularly high in Bikaner, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Jaipur. According to the monitoring data recorded at 11 am on November 7, Bikaner's MM Ground station registered an AQI of 292, followed by Dausa at 285, Sawai Madhopur at 269, Jhunjhunu at 266 and Sikar's Radhakishan Pura at 257. In Jaipur, the Mansarovar Sector-12 monitoring station recorded an AQI of 291, while the Police Commissionerate station registered 260. Shastri Nagar recorded 210, Adarsh Nagar 180 and Murlipura 177. The Sitapura station did not report a valid reading. Among other districts, Jalore recorded an AQI of 223, Jaisalmer 213, Alwar 212, Churu 211, Chittorgarh 210, Bharatpur 209 and Nagaur 201, all falling in the "poor" category. Sri Ganganagar and Hanumangarh recorded AQI readings of 194 each, while Dholpur registered 186, Pali 173, Jhalawar 167, Bundi 164, Bhilwara 161, Kota 159, Udaipur 152, Ajmer 134 and Barmer 120. Banswara recorded 86 and Dungarpur 99, placing both in "satisfactory" category. Amid deteriorating air quality across the National Capital Region, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage III restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) from November 6, bringing Rajasthan's NCR areas under stricter pollution-control measures. The RSPCB had also initiated preparations for special air-quality monitoring ahead of Diwali, issuing tender notices in October for monitoring arrangements in Bhiwadi, Alwar, Bharatpur, Kota, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Kotputli-Behror. Meanwhile, Rajasthan continued to experience unusually warm afternoons despite cooler mornings in several districts. According to the India Meteorological Department, Barmer recorded the highest maximum temperature of 37.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Jaisalmer at 36.2 degrees, Jodhpur at 36 and Chittorgarh at 35.4 degrees....