Residents face health risks as smog engulfs the city, with authorities implementing drastic measures.
Delhi's Air Quality Hits Alarming 'Severe Plus' Status
Delhi's Air Quality Hits Alarming 'Severe Plus' Status
Severe pollution levels prompt emergency measures in India's capital.
Air pollution in Delhi has escalated to alarming levels, plunging the city into a thick blanket of smog that is endangering residents' health. Recent reports from tech company IQAir highlighted pollution levels reaching an astonishing 1,500 on the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 3:00 PM IST, which is 15 times the acceptable level set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The hazardous air quality has led to significant disruptions, including the cancellation of flights, closure of schools, and a suspension of construction activities across the city.
This alarming spike in pollution follows a similar occurrence in Lahore, Pakistan, which reported AQI readings exceeding 1,000 just weeks prior. Experts are sounding the alarm that the situation in Delhi could deteriorate even further, urging authorities to consider more stringent interventions. The WHO categorizes air with AQI values greater than 300 as hazardous, and India's pollution control authority declared Delhi’s air quality as "severe plus" after morning measurements surpassed 450.
In reaction to the severe conditions, the city government has banned non-essential trucks from entering Delhi and required that all government offices operate with only half of their workforce on-site. Additional measures implemented last week included a ban on coal, firewood usage, and diesel generators for non-essential services, all targeted at mitigating the spiraling pollution levels.
Every year, from October to January, Delhi and its neighboring states grapple with severe air quality conditions due to a combination of factors including lower temperatures, industrial emissions, and agricultural stubble burning. Despite the yearly enforcement of pollution control measures, the persistent challenge of air quality remains unresolved.
On Monday, Delhi's Chief Minister Atishi declared a "medical emergency" affecting the entire northern region of India, attributing the crisis primarily to unchecked stubble burning in neighboring states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. Accusations have been exchanged between political factions, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blaming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for failing to control pollution levels in the city.
As Delhi's residents struggle with the dire air quality, some have taken to social media to express their frustrations. One user lamented, "Woke up with an itchy, painful throat... even two air purifiers are not making the AQI breathable indoors." Calls for public protests have emerged, demanding action against the toxic air pollution that residents find themselves breathing in daily.
This alarming spike in pollution follows a similar occurrence in Lahore, Pakistan, which reported AQI readings exceeding 1,000 just weeks prior. Experts are sounding the alarm that the situation in Delhi could deteriorate even further, urging authorities to consider more stringent interventions. The WHO categorizes air with AQI values greater than 300 as hazardous, and India's pollution control authority declared Delhi’s air quality as "severe plus" after morning measurements surpassed 450.
In reaction to the severe conditions, the city government has banned non-essential trucks from entering Delhi and required that all government offices operate with only half of their workforce on-site. Additional measures implemented last week included a ban on coal, firewood usage, and diesel generators for non-essential services, all targeted at mitigating the spiraling pollution levels.
Every year, from October to January, Delhi and its neighboring states grapple with severe air quality conditions due to a combination of factors including lower temperatures, industrial emissions, and agricultural stubble burning. Despite the yearly enforcement of pollution control measures, the persistent challenge of air quality remains unresolved.
On Monday, Delhi's Chief Minister Atishi declared a "medical emergency" affecting the entire northern region of India, attributing the crisis primarily to unchecked stubble burning in neighboring states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. Accusations have been exchanged between political factions, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blaming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for failing to control pollution levels in the city.
As Delhi's residents struggle with the dire air quality, some have taken to social media to express their frustrations. One user lamented, "Woke up with an itchy, painful throat... even two air purifiers are not making the AQI breathable indoors." Calls for public protests have emerged, demanding action against the toxic air pollution that residents find themselves breathing in daily.
