Toxic smog covers New Delhi, causing travel disruptions and worsening air quality to hazardous levels.

NEW DELHI — An oppressive layer of toxic smog enveloped India’s capital on Monday, resulting in significant disruptions and pushing air pollution levels to alarming heights. Reports indicate that the capital experienced its worst air quality in weeks, prompting authorities to implement strict containment measures.

The transportation sector felt the immediate impact of the hazardous air quality, with more than 40 flights cancelled and many others delayed. Additionally, over 50 trains faced significant delays as they arrived and departed from New Delhi. These disruptions highlight the far-reaching consequences of the deteriorating air conditions.

Health experts have raised alarms, advising residents to stay indoors as hospitals reported an increase in patients suffering from respiratory ailments and eye irritation. Authorities designated the air quality as “severe” over the past two days, with levels indicating potential respiratory harm to even healthy individuals and serious effects for those with existing heart or lung conditions.

Air quality monitoring stations recorded levels exceeding 450 on the official index, marking the highest readings of the winter season. These figures serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing air quality crisis, as levels above 50 are deemed unsafe. In light of this, the government has issued recommendations for the population to limit outdoor activities and wear N95 masks when necessary, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions.

The severe pollution can be attributed to a combination of factors, including agricultural practices such as crop residue burning and emissions from vehicles, construction, and industrial activity. Environmental organizations have condemned the government’s short-term strategies, such as banning construction and reducing vehicular movement, arguing that more comprehensive and long-term solutions are urgently needed.

New Delhi and its surrounding areas, home to over 30 million residents, consistently rank among the world’s most polluted regions, with multiple cities in India appearing on a list of global pollution hotspots compiled earlier by air quality monitoring database IQAir. During the winter months, air quality typically deteriorates due to factors like crop burning and temperature inversions that trap pollutants near the ground.

Since the beginning of October, local residents have voiced their frustration through protests, demanding action against the government’s ineffective pollution management plans. A study published by the Lancet linked long-term exposure to air pollution to approximately 1.5 million premature deaths annually in India, underscoring the health crisis at play.

Experts continue to emphasize the need for systematic approaches to assess and address air quality issues. Recent attempts, including controversial cloud-seeding operations aimed at inducing rainfall to mitigate smog, have proven ineffective.

As the pollution crisis escalates, the urgency for sustainable solutions to combat air quality issues in New Delhi persists, urging both governmental and community action to safeguard public health.

For more information and continued updates, readers are encouraged to follow developments on air quality and public health initiatives in New Delhi.