Delhi overtakes Lahore as world’s most polluted city as air quality drops

New Delhi (TIP): Delhi overtook Lahore in Pakistan to become the world’s most polluted city on Friday, with air quality reaching hazardous levels and visibility dropping as smog blanketed the city of 20 million people.
Air quality index (AQI) in Delhi was “hazardous” at 334, making it the most polluted global major city, according to Swiss group IQAir, which measures air quality levels based on the concentration of toxins.
An AQI reading up to 50 is considered good with little or no health risk. India’s official Central Pollution Control Board pegged the AQI higher at 403 and rated it “severe”. The Swiss and Indian readings vary due to the different AQI scales and methodologies used to calculate and classify air pollution levels.
Cars and motorcycles emerged from dense smog, which also appeared to obscure street lights on the city’s main roads, videos from news agency ANI showed. Pollution is a seasonal problem in many parts of northern India and neighbouring Pakistan, as the cold, heavy air of winter traps vehicle emissions, construction dust and smoke from stubble burning.
JPC likely to submit FCRA Bill report during Winter Session
NEW DELHI (TIP): The joint parliamentary committee (JPC) examining the contentious Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 may submit its report during the winter session of Parliament, enabling the government to push for its passage in the session, sources said.
The bill was referred to the JPC on August 12 during the monsoon session after pushback from the Opposition, which alleged that the proposed legislation targets minorities and NGOs and demanded its withdrawal. Sources said the government may bring certain amendments to the bill, maintaining that the proposed legislation is not religion-specific and is aimed at regulating foreign contributions.
The 31-member panel, headed by BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal, was expected to submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the winter session. Opposition members have alleged that consultations are being rushed ahead of the deadline.
Introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, the FCRA Bill proposes tighter oversight of NGOs and foreign contributions. The government had put it on hold following resistance from stakeholders.