Delhi Tops Global Pollution Charts After Diwali as Air Quality Hits Hazardous Levels
New Delhi’s air quality plunged to hazardous levels on Tuesday, ranking as the most polluted major city in the world, according to data from Swiss group IQAir. The severe deterioration followed widespread use of firecrackers during Diwali celebrations, despite the Supreme Court’s limited relaxation allowing only “green crackers” for three hours on Sunday and Monday. Emissions from these green variants are 30% to 50% lower than conventional fireworks, but violations were reported across the city.
IQAir recorded a PM2.5 concentration of 442 for the Indian capital—over 59 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s recommended annual guideline—while India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) rated the air quality as “very poor” with an AQI of 350. The Ministry of Earth Sciences forecast that the air quality will remain between “Very Poor” and “Poor” levels in the coming days, with AQI readings likely ranging from 201 to 400.
The city’s annual smog crisis, caused by a combination of construction dust, vehicle emissions, and crop residue burning, continues to endanger the health of its 20 million residents. Meanwhile, in neighbouring Pakistan’s Punjab province, authorities declared an “emergency plan” to combat pollution, as Lahore’s air quality reading reached 234 — the second worst globally. Officials there attributed the worsening conditions partly to cross-border air flow from Indian Punjab.
Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright
