Delhi ranked world's most polluted major city on Diwali eve
The Indian capital recorded a US air quality index of 581 on Saturday morning, according to Swiss group IQAir.
Delhi was the world's most polluted major city on Saturday morning, according to a live ranking by Swiss group IQAir, BusinessLine reported. The ranking came as the capital faced severe pollution forecasts a day before the Hindu festival of Diwali.
At 10:35 a.m., IQAir ranked Delhi first among the world's major cities with a US air quality index reading of 581. This figure was double that of Lahore in neighbouring Pakistan, which recorded a reading of 285.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) placed Delhi's air quality index at 363 at 10 a.m., categorising it as "very poor". IQAir's reading, which is based on pollutant concentrations, is not directly comparable to the official Indian index due to different scales and methodologies.
Local media, citing official data, stated that Friday's air quality in Delhi was the worst pre-Diwali air in eight years. Pollution is an annual issue in northern India during winter as cold air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions, and smoke from crop-waste burning.
Authorities have ordered schools in and around Delhi to offer online classes. People have also been encouraged to work from home ahead of Diwali on Sunday, a day usually marked by firecrackers that worsen air quality.