Toxic and thick smog has once again suffocated the air of India ahead of Diwali, a festival that is celebrated with fireworks.
According to CNN, every year the festivities of Diwali pollute the environment of India and send the air quality plummeting.
As per IQAir, the air quality index of the capital city of Delhi on Monday morning, October 28, 2024, was roughly 250, whereas in the Pakistani city of Lahore, which is roughly kilometers (15 miles) from the Indian border, it surpassed a “hazardous” 500, almost 65 times the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline for healthy air.
Experts have warned that the air quality will get worse in the coming days due to weather conditions and the festival of Diwali beginning on Thursday, October 31, 2024.
Moreover, Delhi and several other cities in northern India suffer extreme air pollution and smog between October and January every year, which affects health, life, and businesses in the region.
The Indian government in 2019 launched a nationwide Clean Air Programme for 24 states and union territories to reduce air pollution by 40% by 2026 by taking significant measures.
The measures include a crackdown on coal-based power plants, a ban on burning biomass, and setting up an air monitoring system. Considering the current air quality of India, it seems very difficult for the country to achieve its goal in the next two years.
