Delhi Or Gas Chamber? AQI Predicted To Worsen In Coming Week, Breathing Turns Hazardous

New Delhi: Residents of Delhi-NCR, grappling with hazardous air quality, are unlikely to get any respite from the gas chamber-like conditions in the coming days. Data predicting the quality of air in the coming week shows a grim picture- the Air Quality Index (AQI) will continue to remain in the 'very poor' and 'severe' category.

As per data accessed from Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi (Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India), the air quality is likely to be in the 'very poor' category from December 19 to December 20, and in the 'severe' category on December 21.

The AQI (PM 2.5) is predicted to hit as high as 539 on December 22.

Experts have expressed concern over the rising level of air pollution in the national capital, calling it a "public health emergency" and demanding political urgency over the matter.

Environmentalist Vimalendu Jha, while talking to the Republic, noted that while AQI in India tops at 500, private monitors show the AQI hitting around 800 in various parts of Delhi in the past 24 hours. He added, "In Zurich if PM 2.5 crosses 5, the city is shut down. But in India, in various parts of Delhi, PM 2.5 levels have already crossed 400 and 450...The overall AQI is 800-900. It is extremely dangerous."

'Gas Chamber Situation’

Noting that people are breathing a high concentration of Particulate Matter 2.5, Vimalendu Jha stated, "Shutdown and lockdown cannot be a sustainable solution in the long run. This is an air crisis, a public health emergency." He called the situation in Delhi similar to a gas chamber.

“What we need is to focus on the sources of pollution, look at long-term solutions, the total systemic changes with regard to transport, our energy, our construction regime, our greenery. That is the change that is required. And unfortunately, what we've seen for several decades across political parties, nobody has that political will, political urgency or understanding to take this challenge head-on," he added.

‘No Discussion in Parliament’

Political leaders failed to discuss the much-delayed issue of air pollution in the Parliament on Thursday. “It's so unfortunate that despite for almost three weeks of terrible to very terrible air, severe to hazardous air quality that Delhi NCR has had, our Parliament hasn't found time to really have a discussion on this," Vimalendu Jha stated, adding, “The discussion was scheduled for today, and then again, it didn't really happen. So, that clearly talks about that all political parties lack that political will and urgency, and they're only making a fool out of people.”

Delhi Tops the Chart of Worst AQI in the World

As per data accessed from IQAir on Thursday at 8 pm, Delhi is on the first place in the list of cities with the worst AQI (427) around the world. Delhi is followed by Lahore (281), Skopje (239), Beijing (233) and Karachi (215). 

Meanwhile, Kolkata featured on the ninth place of the alarming list.

‘Child’s Lung Not Interested in Political Blame Game'

Environmentalist Vimalendu Jha noted that political parties are engaged in blame game as people continue to breathe poisonous air. “We've seen Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) blame Congress all these years and earlier blaming farmers. This year...BJP is blaming farmers. Till last fortnight, BJP was actually blaming Punjab for its pollution, and now is actually blaming Aam Aadmi Party.”

Stressing the need for a sense of national urgency, he added, “The lungs of a child is not interested in this blame game…It needs a sustainable solution.”

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