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Following Diwali, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) surged to hazardous levels, positioning it as the world’s most polluted city. Despite restrictions, many residents lit firecrackers, worsening pollution across the capital and NCR.
Thick smog blankets Delhi as AQI levels surge, marking it the world’s most polluted city post-Diwali. (PTI Photo)
New Delhi: The very next day of Diwali, Delhi became the world’s most polluted city in the world. On Friday, the national capital’s air quality dipped significantly and some areas recorded AQI nearing ‘severe’ levels. The overall AQI of the city was recorded at 359 in ‘very poor’ category at 6 am on Friday.
The significant surge in air pollution levels in the city is being attributed to people defying the firecracker ban imposed by the Delhi government on the occasion of Diwali. Despite the ban, several areas in the city like Lajpat Nagar, Dwarka, and Kalkaji, areas in west and east Delhi like Vikaspuri, Punjabi Bagh, Dilshad Garden, and Burari witnessed widespread firecracker use.
Most polluted cities in the world
Delhi topped the list of the most polluted cities across the world on Friday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 359. The capital of India was followed by Lahore in Pakistan with an AQI of 217. Third on the list was Beijing in China with an AQI of 182, followed by Dhaka in Bangladesh with an AQI of 174. Fifth on the list was Wuhan in China with an AQI of 166.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe, and above 450 severe-plus.
Air quality in other parts of NCR
The air quality in other cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) also dipped post Diwali celebrations. Cities including Ghaziabad, Noida, and Gurugram also witnessed AQI in ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ category. Noida recorded an AQI of 293 in ‘poor’ zone, while Gurugram and Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 348 and 316, respectively, both in ‘very poor’ category.
Air pollutant levels in the air suddenly spiked around midnight, as recorded at several monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR. As per data, PM2.5 and PM10 levels dipped after 1 am, but were still in hazardous zone. The Delhi government had announced a blanket ban on firecrackers starting October 14 till January 1, 2025. However, city residents defied the restrictions and the city woke up to a thick layer of smog, marking the worst air quality post Diwali in the past three years.
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