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#WATCH | Delhi: On air pollution, Dr Vijay Hadda, Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine & Sleep Disorders, AIIMS, says, "These green crackers reduce emissions by only 30%. As far as the gases and particulate matter are concerned, 70% of the emissions remain the same as those from conventional firecrackers. The AQI, which used to be in three digits, has now reached four digits. If you compare Delhi's air quality with that of other cities, you will find that there is almost a 50% difference. Obviously, life is not going to be easy for the people living here. You keep inhaling this poisonous smoke, breathing it in continuously. Every minute, you breathe at least 20 times, taking in at least half a litre of air with each breath. I am honestly surprised that we are still alive. I do not think this kind of air is suitable for human survival. I am absolutely certain that as time passes, we will begin to see its effects. Many of my colleagues who are otherwise completely healthy have been calling me and saying, "I am unable to get rid of this irritation. It feels as though something is stuck in my throat." We saw patients during our last OPD session, and they have returned again today. This happens every year, but somehow, we all forget. The general public forgets, and even policies remain somewhat in a grey area, making it difficult to understand how they should be interpreted. Overall, the situation is not good at all. You should understand that you are simply inhaling poison and exhaling it..."
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"Shocked that we're even alive in this air" — an alarming assessment from AIIMS doctor Dr Vijay Hadda captures the gravity of Delhi's worsening air pollution crisis. Describing the city's toxic air as poison that is unfit for human survival, he raises urgent questions about the long-term consequences of unchecked pollution and the continued use of firecrackers. As Delhi struggles to breathe after another heavily polluted Diwali, his warning is a stark reminder of what lies ahead if immediate action is not taken. What will Delhi's air and the lives of its people look like in the years to come? The message is clear: the time to act is running out.
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The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Faridabad on Diwali night reached its worst in the last five years.
The capital was covered with a thick blanket of smog right from Diwali night till next morning. On the same day, the number of stubble fires (parali) in Punjab was ten times higher, adding pain to misery.
Bursting of firecrackers on Diwali night may be a temporary one-day issue, but pollution caused by stubble fires is an almost daily affair.
Nobody is pinpointing the main exact reason for pollution in Delhi-NCR.
The capital has a good green cover, but why does pollution occur? Nobody knows for sure.
Secondly, all the tools used to control pollution appear to have failed, no matter which level of GRAP is imposed. It is not making much difference.
The air clears only when there is drizzle or rain, or when the wind blows. For the remaining days, the air in Delhi NCR is loaded with poison.
Thirdly, the risk to human health has become bigger. PM 2.5 concentrates in air are not only affecting lungs, but also heart and kidney.
There are other side effects too in the so-called war on pollution. Ban on constructions in NCR has rendered construction workers jobless.
Ban on entry of BS-3 and BS-4 vehicles has caused kilometre-long traffic queues, causing more gas emissions. Delhi NCR has the largest number of automobiles, stubble fires in farms continue, the capital is surrounded by garbage hills.
Nothing has come to a stop, nothing has been removed. Then, how can pollution be tackled?
The people of Delhi are helpless. They cannot leave the city because of work. When winter sets in and the wind stops blowing, the capital will face smog and pollution.
Presently, there is no solution for pollution with anybody. It seems the woes will continue in the coming weeks too.
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Congratulations to everyone who insisted we burst more crackers. You were absolutely right! We are now proudly at #2 among the world’s most polluted cities. Clearly, we should have burst a little more to clinch the top spot. What a missed opportunity! 👏😷
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