49 of World's 50 Most Polluted Cities Are in India, Delhi Ranks 24th
Data from AQI.in shows that 49 of the world's 50 most polluted cities are in India, predominantly in northern states like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar topped the list with an AQI of 821, while Delhi ranked 24th with an AQI of 393. The pollution spike follows Diwali celebrations, with firecracker use despite restrictions worsening air quality. The crisis extends beyond Delhi, affecting many northern cities and prompting political debate over responsibility.
First-hand measurement across 3 sources
We measured how 3 outlets covered this story. Coverage leans balanced overall (Left 0%, Centre 100%, Right 0%). Overall sentiment is negative (28/100). Lens Score 54/100.
Outlets measured: economictimes, thetribune, indiatoday. See how each one headlined and framed the same story in the source comparison below.
AI Analysis
All 1 outlets scored close to centre on political lean. The real divergence here is in emphasis, not lean — compare the headlines below to see how each outlet chose to frame the same facts.
Sentiment was consistent across outlets (28–28/100), indicating broadly factual reporting rather than editorialising.
Coverage timeline
indiatoday broke this story on 10 Nov, 05:34 am. Other outlets followed.