AQI: Indian gets a toxic Diwali hangover

Air pollution remains a major concern across several Indian cities after Diwali, with Delhi recording an AQI of 743, followed by Lucknow at 493, Indore at 449 and Pune at 412, according to AQI.in website. The readings place these cities in the hazardous category, while Noida and Rajkot also report hazardous air quality.Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Dehradun have recorded lower AQI levels in comparison, but their air quality is still classified as unhealthy. The city-wise readings also show elevated PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, indicating a significant particulate pollution burden across the locations listed.City-wise AQI after DiwaliDelhi records highest AQI of 743Delhi has recorded an AQI of 743, the highest among the 10 cities listed. AQI.in classifies the air quality as hazardous. The PM2.5 concentration stands at 447 µg/m³, while PM10 is recorded at 593 µg/m³.Lucknow AQI reaches 493Lucknow has recorded an AQI of 493, with air quality classified as hazardous. The city's PM2.5 level stands at 322 µg/m³ and PM10 at 388 µg/m³.Also Read: Delhi AQI today: Air pollution readings turns severe after Diwali bursts: Check area-wise levels hereIndore records AQI of 449Indore has reported an AQI of 449, placing it in the hazardous category. Its PM2.5 concentration is 298 µg/m³, while PM10 stands at 358 µg/m³.Pune AQI stands at 412Pune has recorded an AQI of 412, with hazardous air quality. The PM2.5 concentration is 271 µg/m³ and PM10 is 328 µg/m³.Noida reports AQI of 373Noida's AQI stands at 373, with air quality classified as hazardous. The city has recorded PM2.5 levels of 261 µg/m³ and PM10 levels of 358 µg/m³.Rajkot records AQI of 358Rajkot has reported an AQI of 358, also falling in the hazardous category. Its PM2.5 concentration stands at 238 µg/m³, while PM10 is recorded at 284 µg/m³.Chennai AQI reaches 188Chennai has recorded an AQI of 188, with air quality classified as unhealthy by AQI.in. The PM2.5 concentration stands at 109 µg/m³ and PM10 at 132 µg/m³.Ahmedabad reports AQI of 179Ahmedabad's AQI stands at 179, with air quality classified as unhealthy. Its PM2.5 level is 95 µg/m³, while PM10 is recorded at 114 µg/m³.Mumbai records AQI of 156Mumbai has reported an AQI of 156, with air quality in the unhealthy category. The city's PM2.5 concentration stands at 67 µg/m³ and PM10 at 81 µg/m³.Dehradun AQI stands at 155Dehradun has recorded an AQI of 155, with air quality classified as unhealthy. Its PM2.5 concentration is 80 µg/m³, while PM10 stands at 121 µg/m³.Unfavourable meteorological conditions, vehicular emissions and stubble burning in neighbouring states are likely to contribute to the deterioration.A ventilation index below 6,000 square metres per second, coupled with an average wind speed of less than 10 kmph, is unfavourable for the effective dispersion of pollutants, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System.The readings indicate that poor air quality is not confined to Delhi-NCR, with cities across different parts of the country also reporting elevated pollution levels. While Delhi, Lucknow, Indore and Pune have recorded hazardous AQI, the unhealthy readings in Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Dehradun underline the wider air-quality concerns after Diwali. The PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations further highlight the particulate pollution recorded across these cities.Disclaimer: The AQI figures mentioned in this report have been sourced from AQI.in. ET.com does not independently verify these readings and takes no responsibility for their accuracy or any changes in the data.