Delhi’s toxic air is back; AQI Hits ‘Very Poor’ Residents Struggle to Breathe
As winter approaches, Delhi’s poisonous air is back. A dense layer of smog has repaid to Delhi, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) getting a concerning level of Anand Vihar and Akshardham 334, Jahangirpuri, hovering around 350, categorizing it as very poor on October 19, 2024. The citizens of Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, and Akshardham are concerned about breathing due to the increasingly high pollution level.
Why Does Pollution Spike Every Year?
It is called seasonal pollution patterns. Every year, Delhi faces a similar dilemma as winter approaches due to a combination of factors, including stubble fuming in neighboring states like Punjab and Haryana, vehicular emissions, industrial firings, and construction dust.
As temperatures fall and lower wind speeds worsen the air quality, a smog situation is created. As a result, the capital struggles with dangerous air quality every winter.
Health Impacts of Poor Air Quality
Residents are confronting intense health issues due to exposure to polluted air. Breathing difficulties, burning eyes, coughing, and increased respiratory infections are common during this period.
The first stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) restrictions took effect in Delhi on October 15 due to deteriorating air quality, and actions such as regular road cleaning with water to reduce dust are already underway (Delhi’s toxic air is back; AQI Hits ‘Very Poor’ Residents Struggle to Breathe).
Residents have complained of difficulty breathing, coughs, and various illnesses due to the smog. Ashish Kumar Meena told news agency ANI that pollution near the Akshardham region had amplified to the level of causing “choking in the throat, breathing issues, and irritation in the eyes.”
An air quality index (AQI) ranging from 0 to 50 is categorized as good, 51 to 100 as satisfactory, 101 to 200 as moderate, 201 to 300 as poor, 301 to 400 as severe, and 401 to 500 as severe.
Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Friday said that AQI had crossed 300 in 13 spots – Wazirpur, Mundka, Rohini, Jahangirpuri, Anand Vihar, Dwarka Sector-8, Bawana, Narela, Vivek Vihar, Okhla Phase 2, Punjabi Bagh, Ashok Vihar, and RK Puram.
On Friday, BJP representative Shehzad Poonawalla reached the ‘Smog Tower’ to protest the AAP and its handling of the air pollution emergency, stating that “Today Delhi has become a gas chamber due to the blame game politics of the Aam Aadmi Party. They had made big assurances that they would make Delhi pollution-free.”
He also argued that the AAP had cheated the public by restricting firecrackers but locking up the smog tower worth Rs. 23 crores, making Delhi “the most poisonous and contaminated city.”
Public Opinion: What Public Thinks
Political parties are often interested in blame games, pointing fingers at each other’s policies rather than operating together on long-term solutions.
Despite their commitments during the election: “janta ka sewa” (service to the people), they stay split on policy approaches, prioritizing political gains over combined efforts to manage the concern, leaving citizens to suffer each year.
Residents and authorities are responsible for contributing to pollution
Residents of Delhi also play a significant role in the city’s pollution emergency through routines such as burning waste and using personal vehicles excessively.
These actions contribute to the already high levels of particulate issue, worsening the air quality issues that trouble the capital, particularly during the winter when pollution levels spike (Delhi’s toxic air is back; AQI Hits ‘Very Poor’ Residents Struggle to Breathe).
