NEW DELHI, Nov 13 (Reuters) – Two Indian cities on Monday joined New Delhi as one of the world’s top 10 most polluted cities, a day after revelers burst crackers to mark the annual Hindu festival of Diwali, with heavy smog in the air. the light
The capital New Delhi, as it often does, took the top spot. It had an air quality index (AQI) number of 407, according to Swiss group IQAir.
Financial capital Mumbai was ranked sixth with an AQI of 157, while Kolkata in the east was ranked seventh with an AQI of 154.
An AQI level of 400-500 affects healthy people and is dangerous for people with existing diseases, while a level of 150-200 causes discomfort for people with asthma, lung and heart problems. Levels 0-50 are considered good.
A thick smog began to spread over New Delhi from Sunday night and its AQI reached a dangerous 680 after midnight.
[1/5]A dog crosses a road during a smoggy morning in New Delhi, India on November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis Get license rights
Every year authorities ban fireworks in the capital, but those bans are rarely enforced.
Lawmaker Saket Gokhale posted a letter on X, formerly known as Twitter, in which he had asked the local police for details of the number of cases of use of firecrackers and the action taken against the culprits.
A Delhi Police spokesperson did not respond to multiple calls by Reuters seeking comment.
Air quality in north India deteriorates every year ahead of winter, when cold air pollutes the air from vehicles, factories, construction dust and burning agricultural waste.
Authorities in New Delhi on Friday postponed an earlier decision to restrict the use of vehicles after giving them a week’s respite from toxic air.
The local government has announced plans to ban construction and close schools to protect people from pollution.
Statement by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Mirel Fahmy
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