New Delhi: India’s capital, New Delhi, is facing a severe environmental crisis, enveloped in “toxic darkness” and breathing what is being called the world’s most polluted air immediately following the “festival of lights,” Diwali.
According to the Swiss Air Index, the air pollution level in the megacity, home to over 20 million people, was recorded at a staggering 40 times higher than the safe limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO) just one day after the festival.
According to US media reports, while New Delhi suffers from severe pollution year-round, the rapid and dangerous decline in air quality this week is being directly attributed to the Diwali celebrations.
This traditional festival involves the widespread use of firecrackers, which release not only sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides but also harmful heavy metals into the atmosphere, posing a significant health risk to millions of residents.
