Air pollution in India has once again become a global concern after three of its cities were listed among those with the dirtiest air in the world.
According to Swiss air quality firm IQAir, Delhi has been named the world’s most polluted city, followed by Mumbai in 5th place and Kolkata in 8th.
The alarming level of air pollution in these Indian cities comes after the celebration of Diwali, during which people set off large amounts of firecrackers—a major contributor to the worsening air quality.
Although India’s Supreme Court allowed the sale and use of “green firecrackers” in Delhi, reports showed that many people violated the court’s prescribed hours for firecracker use, which were from 6:00 to 7:00 PM and 8:00 to 10:00 PM from October 18 to 21.
As a result, residents continued to light fireworks outside the permitted hours, further aggravating the already critical air pollution levels in the capital.
(SCREENGRAB FROM: REUTERS)
