Skymet: New Delhi the most polluted city in the world on Friday as AQI crosses 500

A Skymet report has revealed that New Delhi was the world's most polluted city on Friday, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 527. The national capital's air quality and pollution levels have been a matter of concern for the citizens, politicians and environmentalists alike with serious health complications on people.

READ: Gautam Gambhir Faces AAP Flak For Skipping Pollution Meet & Attending Indore Test

The report also features Kolkata and Mumbai in the list of the ten most polluted cities in the world. Second on the list was Pakistan's Lahore, with AQI levels of 234. This means that Delhi's AQI levels were more than double the second most polluted city. Tashknet was third with an A1I level of 185, Karachi fourth with 180, Kolkata fifth with 161, Chengdu sixth with 158, Hanoi seventh with 158, Guangzhou eighth with 157, Mumbai ninth with 153 and Kathmandu completes the list with 152.

This comes on the day when the Delhi government's Odd-Even rule came to an end. Delhi's pollution levels have been extremely high, leading to the schools being shut and the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority declaring a 'public health emergency' in the capital earlier this month. The Supreme Court has also asked the governments to be more accountable and ensure that the pollution levels decrease. 

READ: Air Pollution In Delhi-NCR: SC Summons Chief Secretaries Of Punjab, Haryana, UP, Delhi

On the other hand, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday called for "joint action" by all agencies to combat the worsening air quality in the national capital, choking under a thick layer of smog. However, a lot of politics is being played over the crisis, with the latest being between the AAP and BJP's Gautam Gambhir, since the latter skipped an important Parliamentary meeting and attended the ongoing Indore Test match between India and Bangladesh. When the issue was raised in the public by the AAP, Gambhir wrote back saying that he should be judged for his work and that he attended the match because he had to support his family. 

READ: Gautam Gambhir Responds To Critics Amid Delhi Pollution Meet Row

READ: Laal Singh Chaddha: Netizens Give Logo A 'Delhi Air Pollution' Twist