Delhi continues to grapple with toxic smog, while Mumbai sees slightly improved air quality
Delhi-Mumbai Air pollution: The air quality crisis in India persists, with Delhi enveloped in a thick blanket of toxic smog while Mumbai experiences a slight respite. This alarming situation has raised concerns about the well-being of residents and the long-term effects of air pollution in these major cities.
On Wednesday morning, the air quality in Delhi plummeted to the "severe" category, further deteriorating after a brief improvement the previous day. Simultaneously, Mumbai, which recently joined Delhi among the world's most polluted cities, has been grappling with air quality challenges of its own.
Delhi's air quality was rated as an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 418, indicating hazardous conditions. Several areas within the city suffered even worse air quality, with Punjabi Bagh recording an AQI of 460, Narela at 448, Bawana at 462, Anand Vihar at 452, and Rohini at 451. Meanwhile, Mumbai, which had its own air quality concerns, reported a relatively better AQI of 165 on the same morning.
The neighboring cities of Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad were not spared from this air quality crisis. Noida recorded an average AQI of 409, Gurugram at 370, Faridabad at 396, and Ghaziabad at 382, all signaling hazardous levels of air pollution.
Authorities have taken stringent measures to combat the worsening air quality. Stage-4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a comprehensive set of anti-pollution guidelines, has been invoked to mitigate the situation. As a part of these measures, diesel trucks have been banned from entering the city, aiming to curb vehicular emissions, a major contributor to air pollution.
A combination of factors is to blame for the severe air pollution crisis in Delhi. Vehicular emissions, industrial pollutants, and the burning of agricultural residues, commonly known as stubble burning, have all contributed to the toxic smog that engulfs the city. The severity of the situation has prompted authorities to take immediate action to protect the health and well-being of residents, as prolonged exposure to such hazardous air quality can have detrimental effects on public health.
As these cities continue to grapple with the grave consequences of air pollution, the need for sustainable measures and environmental awareness remains more critical than ever.
- With inputs from agencies
