Pollution in Delhi-NCR: The air quality in many cities of India including Delhi-NCR has started getting polluted once again. The winds might have blown away the pollution due to the fireworks after Diwali to a large extent and kept it from reaching dangerous levels, but now 3 days after Diwali, the situation has become extremely dangerous.
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Most Polluted City in India
On Monday, apart from NCR, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of many other cities of the country went into the red zone. According to the AQI data released by Aqi.in at 7 am, Agra has been the most polluted city in the country with 423 AQI. It has also left Delhi behind in terms of pollution.
Delhi at number two
On the other hand, Delhi, which often ranks first in terms of bad air, recorded an AQI of 416 till 7 am on Monday. In this way, Delhi remained at second place in terms of pollution.
Sonipat at number three
It was surprising that Haryana city Sonipat came third in terms of bad air. At 7 am, the AQI here was recorded at 383. In the last few days, the air here has also become very bad.
Ghaziabad again in top-4
Ghaziabad, which is constantly lagging behind Delhi in terms of pollution, is once again ahead in terms of bad air. The AQI here was recorded at 373.
Hisar was at fifth position
In terms of pollution, Haryana was seen to be the worst on Monday morning. In the 7 o’clock data, Hisar was at number five among polluted cities with 366 AQI.
Fatehpur Sikri is the sixth most polluted city
The effect of Agra being the most polluted city was also seen in Fatehpur Sikri. On Monday morning, the AQI here was recorded at 356. Let us tell you that this city is adjacent to Agra.
Noida and Faridabad at 7th
If we talk about NCR, then the amount of poison i.e. pollution in the air was high in two cities here. The AQI data of both was the same. Noida’s AQI was 341 and Faridabad’s AQI was also the same.
Also read: Delhi Suffers: 69% Families Hit by Pollution Crisis, Alarming Rise in Eye Irritation and Asthma
Understand, What is Air Pollution: 10 Keypoints
1- Definition of Air Pollution: Air pollution refers to the contamination of the atmosphere by harmful substances, known as pollutants, which are detrimental to human health, ecosystems, and materials. This contamination affects both indoor and outdoor environments.
2- Types of Pollutants: Air pollutants include gases (like ammonia, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide), particulates (organic and inorganic), and biological molecules. They alter the atmosphere’s natural features, causing various health and environmental issues.
3- Health Risks: Polluted air contributes to respiratory diseases, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also affects mental health and cognitive functions, with evidence linking it to conditions like depression and reduced IQ.
4- Impact on Ecosystems and Climate: Air quality is intricately linked with climate change and ecosystem health. Pollutants contribute to greenhouse emissions, impacting the climate and leading to events like acid rain and habitat degradation.
5- Premature Deaths: Air pollution is a leading environmental risk factor, causing about 7 million premature deaths worldwide annually. It significantly reduces life expectancy globally.
6- Economic Costs: The World Bank estimates that air pollution costs the global economy $5 trillion yearly, mainly due to health-related welfare losses and productivity declines.
7- Legal and Regulatory Gaps: Many countries lack comprehensive air pollution laws. A significant percentage do not define air pollution legally, lack quality standards, or have limited regulations on transboundary pollution.
8- Anthropogenic Sources: Human-made pollution comes from power plants, vehicle emissions, industry, agriculture, and waste. Road vehicles contribute notably, especially in urban areas.
9- Natural Sources: Air pollution also arises naturally, including dust storms, wildfires, radon gas, volcanic eruptions, and VOCs emitted by vegetation on hot days.
10 Mitigation Efforts: Global and national efforts like the Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol have aimed to reduce pollution. Despite these actions, pollution management remains inconsistent, particularly in addressing climate-linked emissions.
