Delhi ranks first in terms of polluted air among 10 major cities of the world as the air quality index (AQI) in the capital is at 450, which is dangerous.
According to airvisual.com, Delhi topped the AQI rankings while Lahore with AQI 356 is the second in the ranking followed by Dhaka (182), Krakow (165), Ulaanbaatar (162), Wroclaw (158), Guangzhou (157), Wuhan (153), Chongqing (152) and Kathmandu (151).
The air pollution level has increased so much that the Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) had to declare a public health emergency and the Delhi government announced that all schools in the Capital will remain closed till November 5.
The grave situation can be understood on the basis of the 2018 global database report of WHO, which said that out of the 20 most polluted cities of the world, 14 are in India. Almost 20 lakh people in India die annually due to polluted air. Out of every four deaths due to polluted air in the world, one death is recorded in India. Delhi topped the ranking in that report too.
The major reason behind the increasing air pollution in India is that various governments have failed to work on any plans to tackle the problem permanently.
On the one hand, people are dying due to poisonous air and on the other hand the political leaders are busy in finding temporary solutions to it.
A report of airvisual.com released in 2018 identified the sources and reasons of air pollution. According to the report, the air pollutants released from industries, homes and vehicles are extremely dangerous for health. Out of all the air pollutants, the micro pollutants affect the people most.
Political statements and temporary solutions won't be able to curb increasing air pollution, rather the government should come up with some permanent solution to it.