Punjab cities rank among world's most polluted as Delhi's air stays poor

According to live AQI rankings, Amritsar (392), Bathinda (368) and Faridkot (360) were the three most polluted cities in India, joined by Meerut (355) and Fatehpur (354). In the national capital, Delhi's AQI measured 230 on Friday, classifying the air as poor, and three of its 56 stations logged very poor levels, with the highest reading of 324 at Pusa. The Air Quality Early Warning System forecasts that Delhi will remain in the poor bracket from October 23 to October 26 and likely continue for the following week due to weak winds and low ventilation.

The transport sector contributed the largest share of Delhi's pollution, followed by residential sources, stubble burning and industry. Neighboring NCR districts, especially Gurugram, also added to the capital's haze.