As Delhi battles air apocalypse, its 13 pollution hotspots remain a worry

New Delhi, Nov 11: As the winter season descends upon the national capital with northern India and much of the subcontinent, Delhi finds itself grappling with an annual environmental challenge – air pollution.

With a recurring pattern, the city endures a challenging four-month period from October to January, marked by the pervasive presence of smoke, smog, and dust in the air.
During this time, schools and workplaces often close their doors, subjecting Delhiites to breathe what is widely recognised as the most polluted air in the world.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) serves as a stark indicator of the severity of the situation, regularly surpassing 10 times the World Health Organization's (WHO) defined "safe" limit of 60 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5 particles (pollutant particles under 2.5 micrometers or less).

This alarming level of pollution poses significant health risks to the city's residents.
Delhi finds itself ensconced under a thick blanket of smoke and dust, exacerbated by the characteristic winter fog that descends upon the region during the colder months of November, December, and January.

The combination of these factors gives rise to a suffocating smog that blankets the city, impacting visibility and posing a serious threat to respiratory health every year, says experts.
A recent report on Delhi's toxic air quality highlights that the drastic increase in air pollution levels in the capital cannot be attributed solely to stubble burning.
It emphasises that local factors, such as vehicle emissions, had already significantly contributed to the pollution levels in Delhi before stubble burning became a major factor.