NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Following the celebration of Diwali, two Indian cities have now joined New Delhi in the list of the world’s top 10 most polluted cities. The air in these cities is thick with smoke after the use of firecrackers during the annual Hindu festival of light.
As expected, New Delhi claimed the top spot in the rankings with an air quality index (AQI) figure of 420, categorizing it as “hazardous” according to Swiss group IQAir. However, Kolkata in the eastern part of India also made its way into the top 10, securing fourth place with an AQI of 196. Mumbai, the financial capital, ranked eighth with an AQI of 163.
An AQI level of 400-500 poses a danger to healthy individuals and can be particularly harmful to those with pre-existing health conditions. Meanwhile, a level of 150-200 causes discomfort to people suffering from asthma, lung problems, and heart diseases. AQI levels ranging from 0-50 are considered good.
The smog in New Delhi began to circulate on Sunday night, resulting in an alarming AQI of 680 shortly after midnight. Despite bans on firecrackers being imposed by authorities every year, enforcement of these bans is rare.
Air quality in India tends to worsen each year leading up to winter, as cold air traps pollutants from vehicles, industries, construction dust, and agricultural waste burning.
In response to the toxic air, the authorities in New Delhi initially planned to restrict vehicle usage. However, this decision was postponed after a brief period of rain on Friday provided some relief from the week-long exposure to polluted air. The local government intends to review this decision after Diwali.
(Reporting by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
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