Delhi AQI reaches ‘severe’: Here’s what air pollution does to your body and who it affects most

Delhiites on Monday complained about worsening air quality and a thick layer of smog, as the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'Severe' category, recording 452 at 8 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Delhi continued to experience hazardous air conditions, with Anand Vihar recording an AQI of 493, placing it in the 'Severe' category. Thick smog also engulfed areas around Kartavya Path, Akshardham, AIIMS, and Yashobhoomi.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people living in low- and middle-income countries disproportionately experience the burden of outdoor air pollution, with 89% (of the 4.2 million premature deaths) occurring in these areas.

How does air pollution affect health?

A report by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) states that even short-term exposure to elevated levels of outdoor air pollution can impair lung function, trigger asthma, cause heart problems, and increase visits to emergency departments and hospital admissions.

Air pollution is also linked to higher mortality, with exposure to PM2.5 significantly raising the risk of death.

High levels of air pollution pose a wide range of public health risks, including cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, diabetes, obesity, and disorders affecting reproductive, neurological, and immune systems.

Cancer

A large study involving over 57,000 women suggested that living near major roadways may raise the risk of breast cancer. Occupational exposure to benzene, a chemical found in gasoline and industrial processes, is linked to leukaemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the report stated.

Research spanning 2000 - 2016 found a correlation between lung cancer rates and higher reliance on coal for energy production. Analysis of a national dataset of older adults indicated that long-term (10-year) exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 was associated with increased risks of colorectal and prostate cancers.

Asthma

Air pollution also negatively affects lung development and contributes to respiratory diseases such as emphysema, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Increases in asthma prevalence and severity are linked to urbanisation and outdoor air pollution. Children living in low-income urban areas tend to have more asthma cases than others. Research published in 2023 tied two air pollutants, ozone and PM2.5, to asthma-related changes in children’s airways.

Who is most affected by air pollution?

While air pollution impacts everyone, certain groups are disproportionately impacted. Nearly 90% of people living in urban areas worldwide are exposed to air pollution.

Research funded by the NIEHS reveals racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities exist in exposure to air pollution. Although overall emissions have declined over recent decades, the reductions have not been uniform across different demographic groups.

People with annual incomes above $70,000 (approximately ₹63.5 lakh) generally see larger decreases in emissions from industry, energy, transportation, residential, and commercial sources compared to lower-income populations, the report said.

SC to hear plea on Delhi-NCR air pollution crisis on 17 December

The Supreme Court on Monday said it will list for hearing on 17 December a plea related to worsening air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR, PTI reported.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pamcholi noted the submissions of senior advocate Aprajita Singh (amicus curiae), that while preventive measures are in place, poor implementation by authorities remains a key issue.

On Monday, Delhi was engulfed in dense smog, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 498, placing it near the top of the 'severe' category.

Air quality was classified as 'severe' at 38 monitoring stations and 'very poor' at two others. Jahangirpuri recorded the highest AQI at 498, marking it the most polluted area among all 40 stations.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.

The AQI in Delhi climbed to 461 on Sunday and marked the city's most polluted day this winter and the second-worst December air quality day on record, as weak winds and low temperatures trapped pollutants close to the surface.

(With inputs from agencies)