‘Now we’re proudly #2’: Why Harsh Goenka congratulates everyone who insisted on setting off more firecrackers | Today’s news
Industrialist Harsh Goenka took a sarcastic dig at people who supported bursting firecrackers amid concerns over rising air pollution, saying the country has secured the second most polluted city spot in the world.
In a post on social media platform X, Goenka congratulated those who insisted on tearing more crackers and sarcastically suggested that India had missed the “No. 1 spot” in global pollution rankings.
“Congratulations to everyone who insisted we break out more cookies. You were absolutely right! We are now proudly ranked 2nd most polluted city in the world. Clearly we should have cracked a bit more to secure the top spot. What a missed opportunity!” he wrote
Goen’s remarks appeared to criticize the continued use of firecrackers despite concerns about deteriorating air quality.
The remark came as air pollution remained a major concern across northern India following Diwali celebrations on November 8.
Goenka’s post comes amid renewed debate over the use of firecrackers during festivals and their impact on air quality, particularly in Delhi-NCR, where pollution levels often worsen during the winter months.
Overview of India’s Global AQI Ranking
According to Airleaf’s Live Global Air Quality Monitoring Report published on November 10, 2026:
Top ranked Indian cities: Gwalior recorded the worst air pollution in India with an AQI of 816, ranking No. 3 globally. It was closely followed by Kota (No. 7, AQI 698), Jodhpur (No. 8, AQI 694), Unnao (No. 9, AQI 693) and Kanpur (No. 10, AQI 693).
Out of the 50 most polluted cities listed worldwide, India accounts for 22 cities.
New Delhi is ranked 39th globally with an AQI of 416, which falls under the “Hazardous” category ($AQI > $300). Other major urban hubs like Lucknow (#25, AQI 519), Bhopal (#28, AQI 500) and Ahmedabad (#44, AQI 397) also recorded extreme air toxicity.
Gwalior is the most polluted city in India
Gwalior is the highest city in India and ranks third in the world with an AQI of 816.
Rajasthan’s Kota ranks seventh globally with an AQI of 698, followed by Jodhpur at 694. Uttar Pradesh’s cities are also prominent, with Unnao and Kanpur both recording AQI values of 693.
Other Indian cities in the top 25 include Hapur (641), Meerut (641), Soyibug (522) and Lucknow (519).
The presence of several Indian cities in the top half of the ranking underscores the extent of the air pollution problem across the country.
Delhi, Ahmedabad and other major cities are in the list
Delhi is also among the 50 most polluted cities in the world, although it is lower than several smaller Indian urban centers.
New Delhi is ranked 39th globally with an AQI of 416. Kirari Suleman Nagar is ranked 40th with an AQI of 410, while Bhalswa Jahangirpur is ranked 41st with an AQI of 400.
It is followed by Delhi Cantonment at the 42nd position with an AQI of 398.
Other major Indian cities on the list include Ahmedabad (397), Nagpur (392), Varanasi (380), Ludhiana (376), Loni (374) and Ghaziabad (358).
Ghaziabad, at 50th position, has the lowest AQI value among the cities listed in the ranking.
Read also | Delhi has deployed its anti-smog weapon to combat air pollution after the Diwali holiday
What do AQI values mean?
The graphic uses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) AQI color categories to illustrate the severity of air pollution.
According to the above classification, an AQI value of 0-50 is considered good, while a value of 51-100 is moderate. Values between 101 and 150 are classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups and 151-200 as unhealthy.
An AQI of 201-300 is categorized as very unhealthy, while values above 300 fall into the dangerous category in the chart.
Exceptionally high values reported in several cities in India and Pakistan point to serious air quality concerns.
Read also | Delhi Pollution: 5 SUVs with built-in air purifiers starting at ₹7.77 lakh
