New Delhi: While the air quality in New Delhi remains in the critical stage, the metropolis is rendered uninhabitable by toxic smog. According to data from the Swiss group, India’s capital Delhi, along with Kolkata and Mumbai, is among the most polluted cities in the world today. New Delhi once again tops the real-time pollution list with an AQI of 483 as of 7:30 am today, while Lahore is second with 371.
Kolkata and Mumbai are also among the top five cities most affected by air pollution with an AQI level of 206 and 162, respectively. Officials said air pollution has increased due to low temperature, lack of wind and stubble burning in neighboring states. Most of New Delhi’s 20 million residents experienced watery eyes and sore throats as the AQI neared 550 at some monitoring stations. An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, while an AQI between 400-500 is really very fatal.
It affects healthy people and poses a greater risk to those with the disease. The concentration of fine particulate matter known as PM 2.5 in Delhi was 523 milligrams per cubic meter, 104.6 times higher than the World Health Organization’s permissible limit. Long-term exposure to these particles, which are about 30 times thinner than a human hair and can enter the blood vessels through the lungs, can cause heart and respiratory problems. In view of the recent air pollution, several strict restrictions have been imposed in the national capital from today. In Delhi, the public is now under mini-lockdown, waiting for an improvement in the pollution situation.
