Feb 12, 2026: Lucknow breathes slightly easier than Delhi

For today’s Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry visited Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The closest UPPCB monitoring station at Gomti Nagar pegged the AQI at 144 – in the ‘moderate’ category – and recorded PM2.5 levels at 144 and PM10 at 84. 

While Lucknow’s air is slightly better today, the ‘moderate’ tag is cold comfort for residents living in the shadow of industrial chimneys and mounting construction dust.

Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi remains unhealthy. The DPCC monitoring station at Anand Vihar, for example, pegged the AQI at 220 – firmly in the ‘poor’ category. In Mundka, the station recorded an even higher AQI of 267, reflecting the city's persistent struggle with air pollution.

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This show is part of a collaborative campaign to tackle air pollution. Here’s how you can join the Fight To Breathe. Click here to power this campaign.