The air quality in India’s national capital New Delhi remained in the “poor” category on Thursday, according to weather forecasters. The city has been adjudged the most polluted in the world in recent times.
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi was at 249 on Thursday.
A day before, the air quality was at 'moderate' category. If the AQI is between 0 and 100, it's considered good; 100 to 200 is moderate; from 200 to 300 is poor; and from 300 to 400 is very poor.
If the AQI is above the 400 mark, then the air quality is considered severe and poisonous.
The onset of winter season brings down the quality of air every year in Delhi. A thick shroud of smog engulfs the entire city and nearby National Capital Region at this time.
The stubble burning by farmers from neighbouring Punjab is considered to be the prime culprit for the unbreathable air in Delhi.
The air quality in the national capital is so bad that data released by the World of Statistics has been declared Delhi to be the most polluted city in 2021.
The World of Statistics on November 16, 2022, shared a list of “Most Polluted Capital Cities 2021” according to which the national capital is sitting at the top in the list of 10 capital cities.
The data, which takes into account the air quality till November 2022, was released on November 14.
As per the list, here are the top 10 cities which have been declared the most polluted.
1. Delhi
2. Dhaka
3. N’Djamena
4. Dushanbe
5. Muscat
6. Kathmandu
7. Manama
8. Baghdad
9. Bishkek
10. Tashkent
For several years, Delhi has been grappling with air pollution. Several knee-jerk measures were taken, such as banning construction activities and using smog guns, but with no successful results.
According to a WHO survey of 1,650 world cities, and a survey of 7,000 world cities by the US-based Health Effects Institute in August 2022, Delhi’s air quality is dubbed the worst in the world.
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