BENGALURU: Delhi was the world’s most polluted major city on Satu­rday morning, according to Swiss group IQAir’s live ra­­­n­­king, as the Indian capital faced severe pollution forecasts a day before Diw­ali, the Hindu festival of lights.

India has ordered schools in and around Delhi to offer online classes, and encouraged people to work from home ahead of Diwali on Sunday, which is usually marked by the widespread use of firecrackers that further worsen the air quality.

IQAir ranked Delhi first among the world’s major cities at 10:35am, with a US air quality index reading of 581, double that of La­­­h­­ore in neighbouring Pa­­­k­­­i­stan, at 285. IQAir’s reading, based on concentrations of air pollutants, is not dire­ctly comparable to India’s official index, which uses a different scale and methodology. India’s Cen­tral Pollution Control Boa­rd put Delhi’s air quality index at 363 at 10am, in the “very poor” category.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2026