India's capital chokes as air pollution gets 'bad'

People in India's capital Delhi woke up to thick smoke as air quality worsened in the city.

Delhi and its neighboring cities face pollution levels at least 30-35 times the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Every year, Delhi and the northern states battle with dangerous air during the winter months of October to January due to drop in temperatures, smog, dust, low wind speed, vehicular emissions and heartburn.

In this case, experts say that the situation is likely to worsen in the coming days.

According to the Swiss Air Quality Index (AQI) monitoring system, pollution levels in many areas of Delhi touched the 500 mark on Wednesday morning.

The AQI measures the levels of particulate matter, also called PM 2.5, in the air. These small particles can enter the lungs and cause a number of diseases.

According to the WHO, air with an AQI value of 100 or less is considered satisfactory for breathing, while readings in the 400-500 range indicate that pollution levels are “severe” in the area.

The satellite cities of Noida and Gurgaon also registered AQI levels touching the 500 mark.

Several northern states have had toxic air and poor visibility for the past few weeks. There there were reports of flights to and from Delhi being canceled or delayed due to poor visibility.

The smoke is so thick that it can even be seen in the air. A few days ago, Nasa shared satellite images of the blanket of smoke in the northern parts of India and neighboring Pakistan.

Toxic air also affects people's health.

A survey conducted by LocalCirles, an online community forum, in Delhi and nearby villages revealed that 81% of households reported at least one member suffering from health problems due to pollution in the past three weeks. More than a third of respondents said they had bought cough syrup at that time.

The Delhi government launched a Graded Response Action Plan – banning all activities involving the use of coal and wood, as well as the use of diesel generators for non-emergency services – but that did not save the city from dealing with toxic levels of pollution.

Authorities also urged residents to stay indoors as much as possible and use public transport to reduce traffic pollution.

Delhi was the world's most polluted capital by 2023, according to a Switzerland-based air quality monitoring group.

India has also been ranked as the third most polluted country in the world after neighbors Bangladesh and Pakistan, IQAir said.

Air pollution is a major problem in several Indian cities.

Experts say that rapid industrialization coupled with poor compliance with environmental laws has contributed to the increase in pollution in the country.

India has seen great progress in the last few decades, but poor industrial regulation means that industries are not following pollution control measures. Rapid construction has also contributed to rising levels of pollution.