Srinagar: Even as national focus remains fixed on the hazardous smog smothering Delhi and the NCR, Kashmir’s famed mountain air—long marketed as its greatest natural asset—is turning alarmingly polluted, with the Valley this week recording some of its worst AQI levels of the season.

According to data from AQI.in, parts of Jammu and Kashmir reported an AQI of 288, falling into the ‘Very Unhealthy/Very Poor’ category on standard global scales.

Local reports described these levels as nearing the “severe” range, underscoring the public concern. In Srinagar, the AQI hovered between 147 (‘Poor’) and 172 (‘Unhealthy’) over the past 24 hours.

The particulate matter concentrations tell a similar story. PM10 levels between 136 and 243 µg/m³ and PM2.5 levels between 86 and 167 µg/m³ far exceed the

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