New Delhi has imposed emergency measures as the city, with a population of 33 million, was engulfed in thick, toxic smog, causing air quality to deteriorate into the “severe” category, with some areas experiencing air pollution levels more than 50 times higher than the World Health Organization’s safe limit, Reuters reports.
New Delhi enforced stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), including online classes for most students, a ban on non-essential vehicles, and halting all construction. Authorities urged vulnerable groups to stay indoors, but many residents continued daily routines despite widespread complaints of health issues such as sore throats, headaches, and coughs. Critics called for long-term solutions that address the root causes of the pollution rather than temporary mitigation efforts.
The annual winter pollution spike is caused by a combination of crop residue burning in nearby states, vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, and coal use, exacerbated by colder temperatures trapping pollutants. Studies estimate over a million deaths annually in India are linked to pollution-related diseases.
