Swiss air quality technology company IQAir just released the list of top 10 world’s most polluted cities and 3 Indian cities made the cut. Delhi ranked number 1 as the most polluted city in the world with air quality at 430. The city already dealing with deteriorating air quality experienced worsening conditions due to use of firecrackers on Diwali. The ban on firecrackers by the Supreme Court of India was violated in many parts of the country.
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Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai are the most polluted cities
Kolkata and Mumbai also made IQAir’s list of world’s most polluted cities in the world. Kolkata has an AQI of 196 making it the fourth most polluted city in the world and the second Indian city to be on the list. An AQI of 150 to 200 affects people with asthma, lung, and heart problems causing discomfort.
Mumbai ranks ninth on the world’s most polluted city list with an AQI of 156. Despite the blanket ban on firecrackers imposed by the Supreme Court on November 7, the Bombay High Court allowed bursting of firecrackers for 3 hours, between 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. According to SAFAR-India the overall AQI of the city dropped to a troubling 234 after diwali. The AQI of Borivalli was 307, Kalanagar was 312, Malad was 309, and Chembur was 334.
An AQI of 300 to 400 can cause respiratory illnesses in people with prolonged exposure. An AQI of more than 400 is dangerous for people with existing illnesses and can also affect healthy people. The ideal air quality levels are 0 to 50, which is considered good.
Firecrackers wipe out rain relief in Delhi
A dense smog has blanketed Delhi making visibility poor throughout the nation’s capital. The AQI for Delhi has been in the ‘severe’ or ‘severe plus’ category for a couple of days, however due to light rain on Friday, the AQI had shifted to ‘poor’ category marking a short-lived relief for the residents of the city.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded data that showed PM2.5 and PM10 pollutant levels touched 500 at most areas in the city including Delhi airport area, ITO, and Rohini. Many people have questioned the failure of authorities to effectively implement the firecracker ban imposed by the Supreme Court. Since late October due to severe pollution the government has had to shut schools and ban diesel trucks.
People continue staying active despite the toxic air
Despite the noxious extremes of the New Delhi air with emergency measures by the government like banning construction, closing schools, and restricting traffic, the residents of Delhi continue to live their lives because they have no other option. Joggers, dog owners, yoga enthusiasts are continuing their daily habits despite official warnings.
“We are all jogging faster towards death,” said Purushottam Sahu, aged 46 to the New York Times. “Because we have no other choice.” Residents of the city have experienced struggling breathing, coughing fits and even vomiting sensations due to the worsening pollution. Health experts have said strenuous exercises require deeper breathing and as a result more particles inhaled into the lungs. This makes outdoor activities particularly dangerous for children and older people.
The concentration of cancer causing micro-particles has soared 30 times more the danger limit set by the World Health Organization in recent days. These particles enter through the bloodstream. Doctors have reported an increase in the number of patients with breathing problems, coughs, watery and irritated eyes.
Oncologists recommend not exercising as a more healthy approach to life, suggesting indoor exercises as an alternative.
