As the festive lights of Diwali fade, a thick blanket of smog engulfs the skies, with air pollution levels rising sharply across major cities in Rajasthan, Delhi and other states.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Rajasthan stood at 243 as of 8 am today.

Bhiwadi recorded the highest AQI in the state at 318, while Ajmer Civil Lines reported 228, Kota 227, and Udaipur 220 all falling in the "poor" category.

Baran registered an AQI of 207, Hanumangarh 253, Bikaner 231, and Churu 220.In Mumbai the air quality was recorded at 214, Patna at 224, Jaipur at 231, and Lucknow at 222 all under the "poor" category.

Bengaluru's AQI was 94, Chennai's 153, and Hyderabad's 107. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, Mumbai, a thin layer of smog was wit

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