NEW DELHI — Residents of India’s capital struggled for clean air on Thursday as hazardous smog once again blanketed the city, with air quality index (AQI) readings surpassing the 1,000-point mark.
Drone footage revealed a thick layer of toxic haze over New Delhi’s skyline, reducing visibility as traffic moved sluggishly through the smog-laden streets.
According to Swiss air quality monitoring group IQAir, the city’s AQI reached a staggering 1,081 at 4 a.m. GMT, categorizing the air as “hazardous.” The level of PM2.5 particles, the most harmful to human health, was recorded at 123.4 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended safe levels. The group ranked New Delhi as the world’s most polluted capital.
India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported the city’s 24-hour AQI at 450, classified as “severe.” CPCB guidelines state that AQI readings above 400 not only pose risks to individuals with pre-existing health conditions but can also severely impact healthy individuals.
New Delhi’s toxic air quality has become a seasonal crisis, often worsening during the winter months due to weather conditions, vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, and the burning of crop stubble in surrounding states.
Despite years of efforts, including the introduction of stricter vehicle emission standards and restrictions on industrial activity, pollution levels have remained alarmingly high, affecting the health and daily lives of the city’s 20 million residents.
The alarming AQI levels have once again placed New Delhi at the center of global discussions on urban air pollution. Experts have called for urgent and sustained measures to address the root causes of pollution in the city.
Meanwhile, residents are left to cope with hazardous air, relying on masks, air purifiers, and remaining indoors as much as possible to mitigate the effects of the toxic smog.
