New Delhi shrouded in toxic smog as pollution reading breaks record
Al Jazeera
India’s capital shuts schools and halts construction after air pollution shoots up to its worst level this season.
A thick blanket of toxic smog has engulfed most parts of northern India and readings of air quality in the capital New Delhi hit their highest this year after dense fog overnight.
The smog, a toxic blend of smoke and fog, happens each year in winter as cold air traps dust, emissions, and smoke from illegal farm fires in some surrounding states.
Visibility on Monday dropped to 100 metres (109 yards) but authorities said flights and trains continued to operate with some delays.
India’s pollution control authority said the national capital territory’s 24-hour air quality index (AQI) reading was at 484, classified as “severe plus”, the highest this year.
According to Swiss group IQAir’s live rankings, New Delhi was the most polluted city in the world with the air quality at a “hazardous” 1,081 and the concentration of PM2.5 – particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns or less in diameter that can be carried into lungs, causing deadly diseases and cardiac issues – at 130.9 times the World Health Organization’s recommended levels.
