Depicting India’s inability to curtain pollution in the country, air pollution levels are getting aggravated in the National Capital during the last few weeks. Delhi is ranked as the most polluted mega city in the world. It has consistently outgrown Beijing in terms of air pollution.
Health Monitors and Media were constantly bringing updates about the worsening air quality in the mega city in recent days. Air quality has deteriorated making life difficult for kids and asthma patients. The killer smog is already making road view difficult.
Recent air quality statistics showed levels of PM2.5 – the tiny particulates that can reach deep into the lungs, above 999 micrograms per cubic meter. This is nearly 40 times the average daily level suggested by the World Health Organization.
Several factors are pulling pollution and smog levels in Delhi. Industrial exhausts from coal based power plants, industrial pollution, car exhausts, cooking fumes from and crop-burning in nearby states are some of them.
During the time of Diwali, fireworks have also added to the problem. Delhi’s plight this time, should raise the eyebrows of rulers, otherwise, capital city’s air quality deterioration will set new record lows; creating life difficult for its inhabitants.
In the past, Beijing was a close competitor to Delhi in air pollution. But recent stringent efforts made by the government has improved the Chinese capital’s air quality. Delhi government’s efforts like car use control are the sincere measures as other ones have practical difficulties at the implementation level.
