New Delhi residents struggle to breathe as toxic smog reaches “hazardous” levels: Video

The recent air quality deterioration, tracked by monitoring firm IQAir, has classified New Delhi’s pollution levels as "hazardous" for November 12 and 13,  a rise from the "very unhealthy" levels recorded on November 10 and 11. 

Particularly concerning is the concentration of PM2.5—a fine particulate matter capable of penetrating the lungs and entering the bloodstream—which is currently at 54.6 times higher than WHO’s annual air quality guideline. 

The ongoing air crisis has severely disrupted daily life for residents in this densely populated city, which is home to over 33 million people.

“Today it is worse. Some of our workers at the site, like helpers and technicians, have been facing breathing problems today. We have provided masks to the workers because the smog is too much. Today is very bad,”  Kuldeep Singh, a 25-year-old construction site supervisor told AFP.

The rising pollution levels have also prompted concerns over lifestyle and environmental factors contributing to the crisis. "This is not caused in a day or two but because of our lifestyle, rampant construction, vehicle movement, and diesel cars. Vehicle movement is one of the causes of pollution," noted Bikramjeet Singh, a safety manager in the area. 

New Delhi’s struggle with air pollution is not new. Since the 1990s, the city has contended with toxic air, partly driven by rapid urbanisation. In 1996, after the release of “Slow Murder”, a report by the Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment, the Supreme Court of India demanded a comprehensive action plan to address the worsening air quality. 

The report highlighted a surge of air pollution episodes in Delhi, worsened by visible, soot-heavy emissions from vehicles, leading to the court’s intervention.