Latest update:09 Dec 2025 at 7:44 PM IST

The tourist said she was “disappointed” with her first visit to Kashmir due to “high pollution” and “foggy weather” causing her “breathing problems.”

Thick fog was seen over Dal Lake as a cold wave swept through the valley. (Photo: PTI/File)

A tourist visiting Kashmir for the first time was the recipient of amusing, but often sarcastic, comments online after she appeared to mistook fog in the valley for air pollution.

The tourist spoke to the news agency YearsShe said she felt “disappointed” with her visit to Kashmir because of the “high pollution” and “foggy weather” that was causing her “breathing problems.”

While some netizens called on her to visit Delhi “to get better weather”, others pointed out that she might have problems adjusting due to the thin weather and temperatures that are currently below zero.

The tourist said: “This is my first visit to Kashmir, and we all know that Kashmir is beautiful, but after coming here, I don’t find it that good. There is a lot of pollution here; the Al-Qaeda in Iraq index is very high… We are also having difficulty breathing…” Years From Srinagar.

Watch the video here:

In the video, the tourist attributed the conditions to global warming and climate change and said that the government should not be blamed for every problem but that citizens should also take responsibility for environmental change.

The video went viral, sparking online backlash, but many in the comments also expressed concerns about high levels of pollution in tourist-heavy Srinagar. Many rejected her statements, but some said the air quality was rather poor in the city.

“One netizen said: “Please come back to Delhi for better weather,” while another said: “Come to Delhi. You will feel better.”

One netizen simply described it as “pure false”, while another said: “Breathing difficulties may be due to acclimatization or fog, but this affects tourism revenues and needs to be fixed to encourage tourism.”

Several other users claimed that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Srinagar was in the range of 40 to 50, saying: “She is probably so used to the pollution that she is having difficulty breathing in a pollution-free environment. Bring her back to Delhi otherwise she might suffocate in the fresh air.” Another netizen said: “This woman doesn’t even know the difference between fog and smog… pollution and winter fog… please work on your immunity and chest congestion that causes breathing problems because this is a problem in Srinagar.”

However, there were those who supported her, saying: “She is telling the truth. I was there last month. The weather has become very polluted, dust, smog, etc., even the locals are facing the same problem. The reasons can be different, like more construction work, roads, buildings, traffic, and there has been no rain since the last few months. So yes, she is right.”

At the time of writing, according to the National Air Quality Index (NAQI), Srinagar’s AQI was 73, which is considered “satisfactory” by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Temperatures in Srinagar during this period stabilized at minus 3.7 degrees Celsius, highlighting the severity of the cold. Thick fog was seen over Dal Lake as a cold wave swept through the valley.

Mercury settled below freezing point across Kashmir, with most places recording below normal temperatures on Tuesday night. The minimum temperature in Srinagar settled at minus 3.7 degrees Celsius on Monday night (December 8), down from minus 2.4 degrees Celsius from the previous night. The night temperature in the city was 3.1 degrees below normal.

The weather will remain generally dry until December 12, the meteorologist said. There is a possibility of light rain or snowfall at isolated places in the upper reaches of Kashmir from December 13.

(With agency inputs)

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