📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Fredericknoronha
Weather
Delhi's Air Quality Tops World as Worst Pollution Ahead of Diwali
✍️ Amar Ujala · Delhi
🗓 07 Nov 2026, 11:15 PM
👁 23
On Saturday morning, Delhi recorded the highest air‑pollution level among global cities, according to IQAir, with pollution more than twice that of Lahore.
Delhi's atmosphere reached a new low on Saturday, topping IQAir's live ranking of world cities for air quality. The Swiss monitoring agency placed the capital at the very top of its list, indicating the poorest air conditions globally.
The reading came a day before the Diwali festivities, a period when firecracker use typically spikes pollution. Compared with Lahore, a city already known for high smog levels, Delhi's pollution was reported to be more than double, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Health officials warned residents of heightened respiratory risks and urged people to limit outdoor activities, especially those with pre‑existing conditions. The Delhi government has already announced temporary restrictions on firecracker sales and is deploying additional monitoring equipment to track the evolving scenario.
Experts note that the current levels far exceed the safe limits defined by the National Air Quality Index, and they call for sustained measures beyond the festive season to curb emissions from traffic, construction, and industrial sources.
The reading came a day before the Diwali festivities, a period when firecracker use typically spikes pollution. Compared with Lahore, a city already known for high smog levels, Delhi's pollution was reported to be more than double, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Health officials warned residents of heightened respiratory risks and urged people to limit outdoor activities, especially those with pre‑existing conditions. The Delhi government has already announced temporary restrictions on firecracker sales and is deploying additional monitoring equipment to track the evolving scenario.
Experts note that the current levels far exceed the safe limits defined by the National Air Quality Index, and they call for sustained measures beyond the festive season to curb emissions from traffic, construction, and industrial sources.