The most polluted city on Planet Earth is our beloved New Delhi

The unpleasant crown is back to us. While we may have lent it to Beijing for some time, the prize is back into our closets. New Delhi is once again the most polluted city on the planet. There is nothing like fresh air which remains in the city at this point of time. In fact, the pollution levels are hazardous in the national capital.

While most of the cities that fall under the unhealthy category have been witnessing the AQI between 51 and 100, Delhi’s pollution levels are way too high. The Air Quality Index on November 7 as taken by the US Embassy stood at a whopping 999.

 

On second place was Chandrapur in Maharashtra where the AQI index was 824. The highest AQI in China was 298 at Baoding. Beijing was at a mere 30, which is considered as pleasant by the US environmental protection agency.

For the past few days, Delhi’s pollution levels have remained sky high. Several factors have been responsible for such conditions, two of them being cracker bursting and stubble burning. While many a thousand schools across Delhi and the NCR region have been closed and construction work has also been put to a halt.

There has been a slight improvement in the pollution levels as compared to the last few days. However, pollution levels continue to be hazardous in the national capital. Strong winds blowing over the region may improve the situation even further.

Image Credit: CNN; DNA