India is facing a serious air pollution problem after Diwali celebrations on November 8. According to rankings published on November 9, 93 out of the world 100 most polluted cities were in India. The data was updated at 10:05 am and showed dangerous air quality in several parts of the country. Rajasthan Sri Ganganagar topped the global list with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 868, which falls in the hazardous category. Punjab Faridkot was second with an AQI of 842, while Bathinda ranked third with 797.
North Indian cities were among the worst affected. Haryana Sirsa recorded an AQI of 612, while Bhiwani reached 548. Uttar Pradesh Budaun reported 489 and Prayagraj recorded 440, placing it among the world 10 most polluted cities. Surprisingly, New Delhi was not in the top 10. It ranked 15th globally with an AQI of 380. However, the city air quality remained a serious concern. Other cities, including Lucknow, Kanpur, Ghaziabad and Noida, also reported high pollution levels.
The report also showed pollution in cities outside North India, including Pune, Bhopal and Patna. These figures represent pollution levels at a particular time. They do not prove that Diwali celebrations alone caused the pollution. However, the rankings highlight the growing air quality problem across India.
