Due to the increasing air pollution, Delhi, the capital of India, has closed all of its schools for two days.
Every winter, a thick layer of dirty pollution descends upon Delhi, collecting vehicle exhaust, construction dust, and smoke from agricultural stubble burning in nearby states. This leads to an increase in respiratory ailments among the 20 million residents of the city.
The air became densely grey on Friday, and residents complained of itching throats and eye irritation as the AQI hovered near 480 in parts of the city’s monitoring stations.
Anything between 400 and 500 affects healthy people and poses a risk to those with illnesses, with an AQI of 0 to 50 considered good.
On Friday, New Delhi topped a list of the world’s most polluted cities, as determined by the Swiss firm IQAir. The capital of India’s AQI was 611, ranking it in the “hazardous” category.
As to the region’s Commission for Air Quality Management, “unfavorable meteorological conditions, a sudden increase in farm fire incidents, and north-westerly winds moving the pollutants to Delhi are the major causes for the sudden spike in AQI” on Thursday.
While a majority of the region’s building work has been delayed, authorities ordered that primary, or elementary, schools stay closed on Friday and Saturday.
There was a shortfall, stated multiple local suppliers of air purifier filters, because demand had increased unexpectedly.
This year, India is hosting the Cricket World Cup, but the focus has been on the poor air quality, with Mumbai, the country’s financial center, experiencing an increase in pollution.
Next Monday, Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka will be held in a World Cup match hosted in Delhi.
According to IQAir, Bhiwadi, a city in northern India, ranked third in the world and as the most polluted city in the nation last year. While China’s Hotan and Pakistan’s Lahore topped the list, New Delhi came in at fourth place.
