Air Quality Deteriorates Further in New Delhi, NCPCR Asks for Schools to Close

NEW DELHI: The air quality has deteriorated severely in the capital of India and has caused respiratory problems in a large number of people.

The citizens of the capital woke up to a thick layer of smog on the morning of Thursday. The air pollution dropped to a 'severe' range today after its slight improvement on Wednesday. The Air Quality Index or AQI now stands at 426 which is below the 401 mark 'severe' standards.

This is not a new problem for the region. Every year the clearing of the farms in neighboring Punjab by use of fire causes heavy pollution. The smog is a result of the smoke rising from the fields combining with the water droplets in the atmosphere. The wind then blows this dense smog to the National Capital Region causing breathing problems. Every year after Diwali, the air quality of the region drops below the healthy levels due to this issue.

Emission from the huge number of vehicles plying in the region combined with the adverse weather conditions has been one of the core reasons for this problem.

Air quality index between 401 and 500 has been marked as severe and it is the worst slot on this scale.

Physicians have commented that extended exposure to this toxic air can cause serious and permanent health problems. It is especially dangerous to the senior citizens as well as the young children. A large number of residents of the city have already reported respiratory problems.

Several private schools of the city have already suspended physical classes for students in view of the toxic air quality. They will continue the classes in online mode. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also written to the Chief Minister of Delhi for immediate closure of schools till the air quality improves.

The conditions in the city are usually the worst in the first two weeks of November due to the burning of leftovers in the field as well as the start of winter fog.

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