Indian cities lead world's most polluted list on Diwali evening
Six cities recorded an air quality index above 1,000 as hazardous pollution levels were reported across various urban regions.
Indian cities dominated the list of the 150 most polluted cities globally on Diwali evening, according to The Federal. At 9 pm, six cities recorded an air quality index (AQI) of more than 1,000.
Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan recorded the highest AQI at 1131. Other cities exceeding the 1,000 mark included Chengalpattu and Chennai in Tamil Nadu with 1122 and 1119, Bhubaneswar in Odisha with 1091, Faridkot in Punjab with 1058, and Puducherry with 1057.
Chennai held the top position for most of the late evening. While Delhi usually appears on such lists, it was not in the top 25 at 8.30 pm, though it reached the 20th position with an AQI of 721 at 9.13 pm.
Other cities in the hazardous band included Ghaziabad with 649, Noida with 508, and Gurgaon with 462. The top 150 list was mostly comprised of Indian cities, with some cities in Pakistan and Nepal also included.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR on Friday. This emergency protocol operates alongside the CPCB, state authorities, and forecasting bodies like the IMD and IITM.