Over 30 million people in Delhi are breathing toxic air. The situation has worsened over the last week, and now doctors are also recommending that some people should start escaping the national capital.
"If you have poor lungs, please leave New Delhi." These are the words of Dr. Randeep Guleria -- former AIIMS Director. He told India Today that toxic smog is now deadlier than COVID-19. Guleria even told those with weak lungs to leave the city.
In fact, he said all of North India is breathing this toxic air.
A study published in The Lancet Planetary Health last year estimated that 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to air pollution.
The cloud seeding debacle
India's efforts to combat air pollution by using cloud seeding in its sprawling capital New Delhi appear to have fallen flat, with scientists and activists questioning the effectiveness of the move. Delhi authorities, working with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, began trials last week using a Cessna aircraft over parts of the city.
But officials said the first trials produced very little rainfall because of thin cloud cover. The government has spent around $364,000 on the trials, according to local media reports.
A day after the latest trial, levels of cancer-causing PM2.5 particles hit 323, more than 20 times the daily limits set by the World Health Organization. It will likely worsen further through the season.
But at least the data must be accurate? We have some bad news for you. Opposition parties have contested the AQI numbers being released by the Delhi government. Adding fire to the data manipulation allegations, many residents have also said their personal air purifiers show a much higher AQI than the official count.
But Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa remains adamant. He went far enough to claim that the index was actually showing a 'substantial decline' in pollution.
Sirsa said a massive anti-pollution deployment is helping curb the toxic air.
Despite various interventions -- such as vehicle restrictions, smog sucking towers, and mist-spraying trucks -- the air quality ranks among the worst for a capital in the world.
A day after the latest trial, levels of cancer-causing PM2.5 particles hit 323, more than 20 times the daily limits set by the World Health Organization. It will likely worsen further through the season.
