India now hosts 99 of world's 100 most polluted cities
India
After this year's festival season, India now hosts 99 of the world's top 100 most polluted cities.
Bathinda and Faridkot in Punjab take the top spots with Air Quality Index (AQI) scores soaring above 890.
New Delhi isn't far behind at third place, while Lahore, Pakistan is the only non-Indian city on the list, landing at number 18.
Many Indian cities surpassed AQI 400
AQI levels above 400 are considered "severe" by India's pollution board: many cities have blown past that mark since the festivals.
Even Cuttack, Odisha, rounds out the list at number 100 with an "unhealthy" AQI of 283.
The spike highlights how festival activities can seriously impact air quality and shows why urgent action is needed to protect everyone's health.