The season of poisonous air has returned to India’s capital, Delhi, post-Diwali, with emerging health issues accompanied with it. The capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI) rose above 400 for days, landing it into the “severe” category. Delhi’s pollution levels are currently 24 times higher than this recommended limit.
According to the survey of LocalCircles over 44,000 residents, three in four households in Delhi-NCR are already facing the effects of the toxic air, which include headache, burning eyes, or sleep problems, with 17% of the homes reporting breathing issues or worse asthma symptoms.
The survey further reveals that 44% of households were trying to reduce outdoor exposure and have started taking immunity-boosting foods and drinks to deal with the air quality. The survey said that residents are “already feeling the impact of toxic air.”
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 261 on Saturday morning, placing it in the “poor” category. However, the Anand Vihar monitoring station recorded a “severe” AQI level of 415—the highest among all locations in the city. There has been a 77.5% decline in stubble burning events in Punjab and Haryana; however, Delhi’s air quality remains about 24 times higher than the level recommended for PM2.5 exposure by the World Health Organization.
