Air pollution levels in Delhi and its adjoining areas have reached alarming proportions after Diwali, despite the Supreme Court’s ban on firecrackers being widely flouted. The air quality index (AQI) in the national capital has touched the “severe” category, and residents are beginning to feel the effects directly.
According to an online survey conducted by the organisation Local Circles, more than three out of every four families in Delhi have reported that at least one member in their household is experiencing symptoms such as sore throat, cough, burning eyes, headache, or disturbed sleep. The survey was conducted among over 44,000 residents across Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad.
The findings revealed that 42 percent of the families said one or more members are suffering from throat pain or cough. Around 25 percent reported that some members are facing burning eyes, disturbed sleep, or headaches. Another 17 percent stated that one or more members are experiencing breathlessness or asthma-related problems.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the average concentration of PM2.5 particles in Delhi’s air after Diwali reached 488 micrograms per cubic metre — the highest in five years and over 100 times the safe limit set by the World Health Organization. Before Diwali, the level stood at 156.6 micrograms per cubic metre.
Although the number of stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana has dropped by nearly 77.5 percent this year due to delayed harvesting, Delhi’s pollution levels remain dangerously high. On the morning of the survey, the city’s average AQI stood at 261, categorised as ‘poor’, while certain localities like Anand Vihar recorded AQI readings as high as 415, falling under the ‘hazardous’ category.