Residents in northern India woke up on Tuesday to another day of hazardous air quality, with dense fog enveloping the region and pollution levels in Delhi remaining severe. Every winter, India faces a surge in air pollution, as cold, heavy air traps dust, emissions, and smoke from illegal crop-burning in Punjab and Haryana.
On Monday, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to 491, prompting the government to restrict vehicle movement, halt construction activities, and encourage online classes for schools. The AQI scale, defined by India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), ranges from 0-50 (good) to 401+ (severe), and readings above 400 pose serious health risks, particularly for those with pre-existing conditions.
In contrast, air quality in neighboring Pakistan’s Punjab province improved. Lahore and Multan, two of the worst-hit cities, are set to reopen schools on Wednesday after being closed for over a week due to hazardous pollution. However, students will be required to wear face masks, and outdoor sports will be banned, according to government orders. Lahore’s AQI fell to 158, categorized as “unhealthy” by Swedish group AQair, after peaking at over 2,000 in some areas last week.
As of Tuesday, Delhi’s AQI stood at 488, with several monitoring stations reporting a maximum of 500, indicating a severe risk to health. Meanwhile, Swiss air quality monitor IQAir ranked New Delhi as the world’s most polluted city, with a “hazardous” AQI of 489, though it was an improvement from Monday’s extreme reading of 1,081.
This ongoing crisis highlights the need for urgent measures to tackle air pollution in both India and Pakistan, where agricultural practices and industrial emissions continue to exacerbate the problem every winter.
