As smog returns, Lahore rises to the top of the world.

On Thursday, Lahore, which was once known as a city of gardens, fell under the haze once more and was ranked as the most polluted city in the world.

Lahore’s air quality index (AQI) rose to 593 in the early morning before dropping to 525 at 10:30. But in other areas of the city, the AQI readings increased to a concerning level once more: 682 in DHA, 840 in the Shimla Hill neighborhood, and 876 in Lahore Cantt.

Delhi, the capital of India, is ranked second with 372 AQI, Karachi, Pakistan, is ranked third with 220, and Kolkata, India, is ranked fourth with 167, according to the Swiss IQAir table.

Illegal farm fires began in Punjab and Haryana, two Indian farming states.

Recall that on Wednesday, educational institutions in the Punjab province of Pakistan reopened after being closed for nearly two weeks due to smog.

The Punjab administration announced that schools would open no earlier than 8:45 a.m., for children to be physically present. Masks are mandatory for both teachers and students.

However, outdoor sports and extracurricular activities are still forbidden in schools.

Smog forced the closure of schools in the divisions of Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, and Multan on November 6. Schools in five additional Punjabi divisions were closed on November 12 as a result of rising air pollution. School closures were ordered in the divisions of Dera Ghazi Khan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, and Rawalpindi.