New Delhi - the most polluted city in the world

After heart disease, air pollution is the second largest cause of death in India and the capital of New Delhi is called the most polluted city in the world.

The most polluted city in the world

Dust from vehicles or fog from Europe can interfere with the atmosphere in London, England, and alert the media. However, for the world's most polluted city, London's atmosphere can be considered quite pleasant.In the capital of New Delhi, air quality reports are now essential to residents , who are worried about their own safety every day.

Dust and smoke cover the city.(Photo: AP)

The particle concentration of PM 2.5 in the air in London last week was 57 micrograms / m3, nearly 6 times higher than the allowable limit. But in New Delhi, this is still a dreaming "clean" atmosphere.

In this city, the concentration of carcinogenic particles penetrating through the lungs and entering these blood levels is 215 micrograms / m3 - 21 times the world recommendation . A few weeks ago, the concentration of PM 2.5 dropped to a rare level of less than 300 micrograms / m3. In this city, many people even described it as the "apocalyptic atmosphere".

Like most people in the world, people in New Delhi can believe that Beijing is the most polluted city in the world. However, in May last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the atmosphere here was twice as toxic. According to WHO, the consequences of this condition are lung cancer, which causes about 1.3 million people to die each year.After heart disease, air pollution is the second largest cause of death in India.

In just two months, Indian TV channels and magazines have begun to report on this situation in detail. As for the people, they feel like being stuck in a panic scenario , similar to being told that you are living next to a volcanic eruption at any time.

Initially, they could only come up with simple measures such as closing doors, windows and sealing all places where there was space to avoid dust, then began checking the air quality index. They hit the street with masks, anti-pollution masks, sat in the car and walked around like thieves on the highway.

Smoke rises from the chimney of brick kilns on the outskirts of the city.(Photo: AP)

However, despite the warnings, many people still reacted nonchalantly and said: " It's dust from the desert" or affirms " There is no problem that the microelements cannot be solved. "

When using an environmental pollution meter to check PM 2.5 indoors , BBC correspondent Anu Anand said the device stopped at 1,000. Meanwhile, according to the index on the guideline, the number 3,000 is dangerous.

When it became known that some potted plants could improve indoor air quality, Anu and her husband quickly went to the nurseries to buy yellow areca trees. But when they arrived, the owner announced that the US Embassy had bought the last tree.

The Indian government has announced that it will install more air quality monitoring devices in Delhi, while banning diesel vehicles that last more than a decade. However, these measures are only "a drop in the ocean " when compared to economic development itself, which is primarily based on dirty and subsidized diesel.

According to Anu Anand, the problem is that for many days, you may not see the pollution situation. Right in front of Anu's window is a peaceful blue sky, mixed with images of long-tailed birds and branches of trees that begin to bloom. However, in the past few months, many families have moved away, or to cleaner, healthier cities or towns, or to leave India.