India’s capital New Delhi was shrouded in a thick layer of toxic smog on Friday and some schools were closed after the air quality index (AQI) deteriorated to “severe” levels, Reuters reported, citing Agerpres.

New Delhi has again made it to the list of the most polluted cities in real time, compiled by the Swiss company IQAir, which on Friday estimated the AQI of the Indian capital at 640, which corresponds to the “dangerous” category. The Pakistani city of Lahore has an AQI of 335.

A seasonal combination of lower temperatures, a lack of wind and stubble burning in neighboring states has led to a spike in air pollutants, regional officials said.

Many of New Delhi’s 20 million residents complained of eye and throat irritation and the air turned dark gray after the AQI hovered around 480 at some stations.

An AQI of 0 to 50 is considered adequate, while values ​​of 400 to 500 affect healthy people and pose a risk to people with pre-existing conditions.

“In the last 24 hours on duty, I have seen babies coughing, children with breathing problems and rapid breathing,” Ahid Khan, a doctor in New Delhi, said on the X Network (Twitter).

There were far fewer people in the city’s parks, such as Lodhi Garden and India Gate, popular with joggers.

Residents purchased numerous air purifiers. A service center for such devices said it was experiencing a shortage of new filters, and new stock was expected to arrive on Monday.

Pollution will continue in the coming weeks

Officials said they saw no immediate improvement in air quality.

“Pollution levels will persist for the next two to three weeks, exacerbated by stubble burning, low wind speed and low temperatures,” said Ashwani Kumar, chairman of the Delhi Pollution Control Board.

Farmers in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh routinely burn stubble left over from harvesting in October to clear fields before planting winter crops a few weeks later.

Attention to worsening air quality has overshadowed India’s hosting of the Cricket World Cup this year, while the financial capital of Mumbai is also suffering from a spike in pollution levels.

The World Cup match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will be played in New Delhi on Monday.

Children in masks to school

The concentration of toxic PM2.5 particles, which have a diameter of less than 2.5 microns and can cause fatal diseases, exceeded the recommended value for air quality by 53.4 times in New Delhi on Friday, according to IQAir.

While secondary schools in the capital were closed on Friday and Saturday, those in the suburbs remained open and children attending boarding schools were required to wear masks, as during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Poor air quality also causes breathing problems, eye irritation and restlessness in pets.

“Problems with breathing can lead to pneumonia and other diseases in young animals. If possible, do not take animals out for morning walks for a few days until the air quality improves,” said Prabhat Gangwar, a veterinarian at Friendicoes Association.