NEW DELHI – Indian capital city of New Delhi on Friday topped a real-time list of the world’s most polluted cities as a thick layer of toxic haze has blanketed it, shows IQAir data.
IQAir is a Swiss group that measures air quality levels based on the concentration of lung-damaging airborne particles known as PM2.5 which may also result in cancer.
The Swiss group has recorded Delhi’s AQI at 611 putting it in the ‘hazardous’ category, followed by 277 in Pakistan’s Lahore city.
A combination of lower temperatures, and massive crop stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and other neighbouring states are being labeled as major factors for the worsening air pollution in the city.
Officials said residents of Delhi have complaint of irritation in the eyes and itchy throats due to dense smog in the city.
Meanwhile, junior schools in the capital city have been shut for Friday and Saturday to save students from health complications. Authorities have also asked the students to use face masks while coming to schools.
“This pollution level is here to stay for the next two to three weeks, aggravated by incidents of stubble burning, slow wind speed and cooling temperatures,” Ashwani Kumar, chairman of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, told international media.
