Air quality in New Delhi, India has deteriorated to severe and extremely poor levels in recent days.
Pollution levels exceeded 25-30 times the recommended safety limit of the World Health Organization (WHO) at various locations in the city last week.
Experts have warned that the situation will worsen in the coming days due to weather conditions, fireworks during the Diwali festival on Thursday and burning of crop residues.
New Delhi and several cities in northern India report extreme levels of air pollution between October and January each year, causing disruption to businesses, closing schools and offices.
New Delhi: The situation is very serious
Levels of tiny particles (known as PM 2.5), which can get deep into the lungs and cause a host of illnesses, reached 350 micrograms per cubic meter in some areas on Monday, according to data from the government’s Safar website.
According to the website, air quality is categorized as very poor when PM 2.5 levels reach 300 to 400 and severe when the limit reaches 400-500.
New Delhi is enveloped in a thick blanket of smog every winter due to smoke, dust, low wind speed, vehicle emissions and stubble burning.
In November and December, farmers in the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana burn crop stubble to clear their fields.
Need for quick and effective solutions
Farming groups say they need financial and technical help to find alternative ways to clean up crop residues, but government programs so far have not been effective.
Smoke from crackers burst during Diwali adds to the problem.
Like every year, the government has announced a total ban on the manufacture, storage and sale of fireworks ahead of the festival, which will take place later this week.
However, such bans have not been fully effective in the past, as people source fireworks from other states.
It prohibits all activities involving the use of coal and firewood, as well as the use of diesel generators for non-emergency services.
Authorities in New Delhi have warned residents to stay indoors as much as possible and have restricted construction activity in the city.
They also urged people to use public transport to reduce vehicle emissions.
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