Thick, toxic smog has once again blanketed northern India and eastern Pakistan just days before the commencement of Diwali, a Hindu festival traditionally celebrated with fireworks, exacerbating air quality concerns in the region.
The air quality index in Delhi, the Indian capital, reached approximately 250 on Monday morning, falling within the 'very unhealthy' category above 200. Meanwhile, in Lahore, Pakistan, air quality levels soared to a 'hazardous' 500 on Monday, surpassing the World Health Organization's guidelines by almost 65 times, earning the city the unenviable title of the most polluted in the world at the time.
