New Delhi: Toxic smog has engulfed several parts of northern India, severely reducing visibility and raising pollution levels to hazardous levels. The capital, New Delhi, recorded a pollution index of 430, categorizing the air quality as ‘severe’ for the second consecutive day, with visibility dropping to just 300 meters at the international airport.
Weather officials attribute the thick smog to a combination of factors: low wind speeds, high humidity, and dropping temperatures, which have trapped pollutants in the atmosphere. The ongoing practice of stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, where farmers burn crop residue to clear fields for the upcoming wheat planting season, has significantly contributed to the worsening air quality. Farm fires have surged to nearly 2,300 on Wednesday, up from 1,200 earlier in the week.
While operations at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport have not been fully disrupted, some airlines have issued warnings about potential flight delays due to low visibility, particularly for flights to cities like Amritsar and Varanasi. The airport has diverted some flights already, and authorities have cautioned passengers to be prepared for further disruptions.
In addition to New Delhi, the city of Lahore in Pakistan, which also suffers from high levels of pollution, was ranked as the world’s most polluted city on Thursday. The government in Lahore has implemented strict measures, including school closures, restrictions on outdoor activities, and early business shutdowns to mitigate the effects of the toxic air.
Health experts have warned of the severe risks posed by the smog, particularly for individuals with respiratory conditions, urging people to stay indoors and use air purifiers where possible. The toxic air is expected to linger through the weekend, with air quality likely to remain in the ‘severe’ category in New Delhi, and worsen to ‘very poor’ levels.
The smog crisis highlights the ongoing environmental challenges facing northern India and neighboring Pakistan during the winter months, with limited solutions to address the root causes of air pollution, such as crop burning and industrial emissions.
