Day after Deepavali, Delhi becomes most polluted city globally

On November 13, Delhi was the most polluted city in the world with an air quality index (AQI) of 287 followed by Lahore, Pakistan, at 195. Mumbai, at 153, and Kolkata, 166, were also present among the top 10 of the most polluted cities.

A day after Deepavali was celebrated in most parts of the country, three Indian metropolises featured on the list of the most polluted cities in the world, according to a ranking by Swiss air purifier company, IQAir.

On November 13, Delhi was the most polluted city in the world with an air quality index (AQI) of 287 followed by Lahore, Pakistan, at 195. Mumbai, at 153, and Kolkata, 166, were also present among the top 10 of the most polluted cities. The IQAir’s AQI measures data from 109 countries, and readings change hourly. It follows U.S. methodology and varies slightly from the Indian one.

Also read: EXPLAINED | Why is South Asia the global hotspot of pollution?

The values are a measure of the quantities of PM [particulate matter] 2.5, considered most harmful for respiratory health. Though pollution from firecrackers are short-lived compared to those from persistent sources such as vehicles, waste and biomass burning, the spike in pollutants has a pronounced effect on health.

Air pollution in parts of Delhi was 30 times the safe limits prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), contributed in part by the firecrackers lit on Sunday night, according to figures from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. This is despite a ban on firecrackers in the city.

The most updated readings from these cities, as of Monday, suggested that air quality is deteriorating, with several monitoring stations reporting a value of 400, classified as in the ‘severe’ category.

The air quality of Delhi is likely to be in the “severe” category on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi. Air pollution in the “severe” category “affects healthy people” and “seriously impacts those with existing diseases”, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).