“Air Alert: Delhi Leads Global Pollution Rankings, Kolkata & Mumbai Among Worst-Hit Cities”

Delhi Tops Global Pollution Rankings; Mumbai and Kolkata Also in World’s Top 10.

India’s air pollution crisis has once again grabbed international attention, with Delhi being ranked the world’s most-polluted city, according to the latest data from Swiss air quality firm IQAir.

The report, which measures cities based on real-time air quality levels, highlights that three Indian cities feature in the global top 10. Delhi leads the list, Mumbai is 5th, and Kolkata ranks 8th, underlining the widespread nature of India’s pollution problem.

Pakistan also features prominently, with Lahore at 2nd place and Karachi at 4th, pointing to a regional trend of deteriorating air quality across South Asia.

Top 10 Most Polluted Cities Globally (IQAir Report)

• Delhi, India
• Lahore, Pakistan
• Kuwait City, Kuwait
• Karachi, Pakistan
• Mumbai, India
• Tashkent, Uzbekistan
• Doha, Qatar
• Kolkata, India
• Canberra, Australia
• Jakarta, Indonesia

Delhi’s air quality worsened further during Diwali celebrations on Monday night. Despite Supreme Court guidelines allowing green firecrackers only between 8 pm and 10 pm, festivities extended beyond the permitted hours, contributing to rising pollution levels.

Of the 38 monitoring stations in Delhi, 36 recorded air quality in the ‘red zone’, indicating levels from ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’. At 10 pm, the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 344 (‘very poor’), with four stations reporting ‘severe’ conditions above 400.

The report underscores the urgent need for stricter pollution control measures and public awareness to address the persistent air quality crisis in Indian cities.