Delhi pollution reaches fatal levels; AQI reaches over 400
In a concerning development, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi has surged beyond 400, indicating a grave air pollution crisis.
New Delhi: In a concerning development, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi has surged beyond 400, indicating a grave air pollution crisis. Several areas of the city woke up to hazardous air quality levels, posing severe health risks, especially for individuals with lung-related diseases, and even elevating the risk of lung cancer.
The ongoing smoky haze enveloping Delhi-NCR is attributed to a combination of factors, including a surge in farm fires and unfavourable weather conditions. The city’s residents have been grappling with toxic air for day, prompting the government to implement various measures to mitigate the pollution.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI readings on Sunday morning were alarming: Ayanagar recorded an AQI of 464, Dwarka Sector-8 at 486, Jahangirpuri at 463, and around IGI Airport (T3), it reached 480.
For the well-being of healthy individuals, a recommended AQI should be less than 50. However, the current AQI levels, exceeding 400, pose a substantial threat to public health. The concentration of poisonous PM 2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller) remains over 80 times higher than the healthy limit prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The dire air quality is not limited to humans; it is also affecting wildlife, with reports of injured and sick birds, particularly pigeons, being brought to veterinary hospitals due to the polluted air.
The National Zoological Park has taken preventive measures to safeguard animals by frequently sprinkling water in their enclosures to maintain hydration levels and providing diets with multivitamins to counter the impact of polluted air.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has initiated strict actions to combat the issue, forming 517 surveillance teams consisting of 1,119 officers to curb open burning, illegal construction, demolition waste dumping, and dust on roads under its jurisdiction.
Ms Kalinga