Schools shut in New Delhi as air pollution turns ‘severe’

NEW DELHI: The air quality index (AQI) in several areas of the Indian capital became “severe” on Friday, prompting the closure of some schools for two days.

Every winter, a dense layer of dirty smog descends upon New Delhi, trapping vehicle emissions, construction dust, and smoke from crop stubble burning in neighboring states. The result is an increase in respiratory ailments among the 20 million residents of the city.

People complained of irritation in the eyes and itchy throats with the air turning a dense grey as the AQI hovered around 480 in some monitoring stations in the city, Reuters reported today.

New Delhi, India, has ranked 611 in the ‘hazardous’ category of the world’s most polluted cities, according to a real-time list by Swiss group IQAir, with an AQI of 0-50 considered good, and anything between 400-500 affecting healthy people.

“Unfavorable meteorological conditions, sudden increase in the farm fire incidents and north-westerly winds moving the pollutants to Delhi are the major causes for a sudden spike in AQI,” the region’s Commission for Air Quality Management said on Thursday.

Authorities ordered primary, or elementary, schools to remain shut on Friday and Saturday, while most construction work in the region has been suspended.

Some suppliers of air purifier filters in the region said there was a shortage as demand had suddenly spiked.

This year, attention on the worsening air quality has cast a shadow over the cricket World Cup hosted by India, with financial capital Mumbai also suffering from a spike in pollution levels.

Delhi is set to host a World Cup match on Monday between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Lahore is experiencing a similar situation as the government ordered coronavirus-like restrictions including school closures amid serious smog that has taken over the city.

Last year, Bhiwadi in northern India was the country’s most polluted city and third in the world, according to IQAir. New Delhi was fourth while Pakistan’s Lahore and China’s Hotan topped the list.