Thousands Die Early from Difficulty Breathing... Residents of This City Complain "Feels Like Living in a Gas Chamber"

Fine Dust in New Delhi, India 65 Times WHO Standard

There is a city suffering from severe air pollution that causes thousands of premature deaths every year. It is New Delhi, the capital of India. The phenomenon of deteriorating air quality from late autumn to winter appeared again this year.

According to Swiss air quality analysis company IQAIR, on the morning of the 18th local time, the level of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in New Delhi soared to 907㎍/㎥, marking the worst level this year, AFP reported on the same day. At one observation station in New Delhi, the PM2.5 level reached 1,117㎍/㎥, which is 74 times the 24-hour recommended limit (15㎍/㎥) set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

On the 18th, citizens are walking on streets covered with smog in New Delhi, India. In the background, the iconic India Gate of New Delhi is faintly visible. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

On the 19th, the Air Quality Index (AQI) surged to 515. Internationally, an AQI above 300 is classified as ‘hazardous’ beyond the ‘very unhealthy’ level. On the same day, Seoul, South Korea recorded an AQI of 55, ranking 59th among cities worldwide.

The air in New Delhi is usually covered with polluted air from mid-October to January of the following year. The main causes are identified as crop residue burning in the surrounding states of Haryana and Punjab, urban waste incineration, vehicle and factory emissions, and the basin-like topography.

Sanjay Goel, who runs a store in New Delhi, told the Associated Press, "Many people are suffering from pharyngitis," and urged, "They (the authorities) should ban crop residue burning." On social media (SNS), posts describing New Delhi as "like the apocalypse" or a "gas chamber" continued, AP reported.

In response, local authorities switched school classes to online learning for students except for certain grades. Children, the elderly, and patients with lung and heart diseases were advised to stay indoors as much as possible.

As the air situation worsened, the Indian government ordered all schools in the New Delhi area to close and halted construction work. It also advised not only the elderly but also the general public to refrain from outdoor activities. However, citizens and the poor who cannot leave the streets have to endure the polluted air fully.

Delhi area shrouded in thick smog on the 5th. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

AFP reported that the Indian government has been criticized for failing to provide practical solutions to the fine particulate matter problem, which causes thousands of premature deaths every year.

Meanwhile, various reasons have been suggested for the pollution in Delhi and northern India. It is pointed out that the smoke from farmers in Delhi and the surrounding granaries of Punjab and Haryana burning agricultural waste, combined with vehicle emissions and dust trapped by cold air, is the cause. Accordingly, Diwali, the largest Hindu festival, was designated a public holiday on the 31st of last month this year. Based on the Diwali holiday, people in Delhi and surrounding areas, where the air was already poor, enjoyed the festival by recklessly setting off banned fireworks for several days.