Air quality has deteriorated to alarming levels in Delhi, and with an Air Quality Index of 978, the city has now turned into the worst living nightmare for its residents. That means one is inhaling fumes equivalent to 49.02 cigarettes daily-a frightening health hazard owing to toxic air.
Since late October, Delhi’s air has been deteriorating at a fast pace, fueled by reasons such as firecracker use and stubble burning from the nearby states. The scary reality is now that the residents are being made to confront an AQI worse than they had ever imagined.
According to aqi.in, Delhi’s AQI recorded 978 on November 18, creating serious public health concerns. The Supreme Court expressed displeasure at the delay by the AAP-led government in implementing Stage 4 of GRAP despite the rise in pollution levels. It further noted that even when the AQI improves below 450, no relaxation in mitigating measures shall be allowed.
Schools in Delhi are taking online classes for students of all standards except those of Classes 10 and 12 due to poor air quality. Haryana, a state that borders Delhi, is also shrouded with pollution at an AQI reading of 631, which is equivalent to smoking 33.25 cigarettes daily. Uttar Pradesh had an AQI of 273, which is equivalent to smoking 10.16 cigarettes daily.
In Ladakh, on the other hand, the air quality is so good that it accounts for zero cigarettes smoked in a single day. Arunachal Pradesh boasts of an AQI of 13, amounting to 0.18 cigarettes daily, one of the lowest in the country. While Delhi struggles with its severe air pollution, health and wellbeing become a hanging question for its residents, marking the urgent interventions and accountability by the authorities.
