Delhi’s air quality reaches ‘severe’ levels: Capital turns into a ‘gas chamber’ as residents struggle to breathe and urgently seek help amidst toxic pollution.
As the air quality in Delhi reached hazardous levels on Thursday, the city became a choking gas chamber, with residents and health experts sounding alarms over the alarming pollution crisis. According to the Central Pollution
As the air quality in Delhi reached hazardous levels on Thursday, the city became a choking gas chamber, with residents and health experts sounding alarms over the alarming pollution crisis. According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer app, the AQI continued to rise beyond 400, with parts of the city, especially Patparganj, recording the highest at 470. The thick haze affected daily life disrupted transportation and sent hospitals into overdrive as more and more patients sought treatment for respiratory issues.
Residents voiced their frustration, with Bhayender, a local, explaining, “We’re facing severe breathing problems and eye irritation. We can’t even do basic activities like running anymore.” Raunak, a school student, also pointed to a lack of action, saying, “The pollution is worsening, and it’s causing coughing fits. If the government encouraged more CNG vehicles, it would make a difference, but people aren’t cooperating.”
Health experts like Dr. Arvind Kumar, a lung specialist at Medanta Hospital, expressed concern over rising respiratory ailments. “ICUs are filling up with patients suffering from pneumonia, and pediatric clinics are flooded with children struggling to breathe. This is a yearly crisis, and the government has failed to address it,” he said.
Amid the health crisis, politicians from opposing parties pointed fingers at each other. BJP’s Virendra Sachdeva blamed the AAP government for neglecting road dust management and environmental issues, claiming that Delhi’s roads are in poor condition and that untreated waste is being released into the environment. “The AAP government has not made any serious environmental plans. They need to address the dust pollution,” Sachdeva added.
Congress leader Mumtaz Patel also criticized the AAP, claiming that their failure to tackle stubble burning in Punjab and political infighting had worsened the pollution crisis. She pointed out that during Congress rule, there were more green initiatives and CNG buses, which helped curb pollution. “The current government is just passing the buck,” she said, mentioning that she was coughing even while walking outdoors.
With no immediate solution, Delhi’s residents and health officials are left pleading for action to curb the dangerous pollution levels plaguing the city.
