Living amid pollution: A sweeper brooming a road engulfed in smog in New Delhi. India’s capital was wreathed in blanketing toxic smog yesterday as worsening air pollution surged past the grim mark of 50 times of World Health Organisation’s recommended daily maximum.— AFP
A toxic haze enveloped India’s national capital as temperatures dropped and pollution surged, reducing visibility in some parts and prompting a warning from airport authorities that flights may be affected.
Delhi overtook Pakistan’s Lahore as the world’s most polluted city in Swiss group IQAir’s live rankings, with an air quality index (AQI) score of more than 1,000, considered “hazardous”, but India’s pollution authority said the AQI was around 350.
Officials were not immediately available to explain the variation.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the pollution had reduced visibility to 100m in some places by around 8am yesterday.
“Low visibility procedures” were initiated at the city’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, operator Delhi International Airport Limited said in a post on X.
“While landing and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected,” it said.
CAT III is a navigation system that enables aircraft to land even when visibility is low.
The IMD said the city’s temperature dropped to 17°C yesterday morning from 17.9°C on Tuesday and may fall further as sunlight remains cut off due to the smog.
Delhi battles severe pollution every winter as cold, heavy air traps dust, emissions and smoke from farm fires set off illegally in the adjoining, farming states of Punjab and Haryana.
Previously, authorities have closed schools, placed restrictions on private vehicles and stopped some building work to curb the problem.
The city’s environment minister said last week that the government was keen to use artificial rain to cut the smog.
Pakistan’s Punjab province, which shares a border with India, has also banned outdoor activities, closed schools and ordered shops, markets and malls to close early in some parts in an effort to protect its citizens from the toxic air. — Reuters
