Lights, lamps and rangolis: Foreign embassies in India take part in Diwali celebrations

New Delhi has been named the world's most polluted major city on the eve of Diwali, according to Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir. The Indian capital is facing severe pollution forecasts just a day before the Hindu festival of lights. In response to the crisis, schools in and around Delhi are offering online classes, and the government is encouraging people to work from home.

IQAir gave Delhi a US air quality index reading of 581, which is double the reading of Lahore in neighboring Pakistan. The city's air quality index, as reported by India's Central Pollution Control Board, stands at 363, placing it in the "very poor" category. This is the worst pre-Diwali air quality in eight years, according to local media.

The sources of pollution in India, Pakistan, and other parts of South Asia include traffic, factories, dust from construction, and burning of crop residues and waste. Weak winds and stagnant winter air exacerbate the situation by allowing pollution to accumulate. Public health expert Shweta Narayan highlighted that firecrackers contribute to the problem.

Delhi authorities have implemented temporary restrictions on construction, industrial activities, and vehicle use. However, these measures often fail to address the root causes of the pollution. The city of over 20 million people is also working on a long-term plan to promote the use of electric vehicles. Dr. Arvind Kumar, a chest surgeon and founder trustee of the Lung Care Foundation, advised wearing properly fitted N95 or N99 masks when outdoors during periods of heavy pollution.

He warned that pollution can cause persistent coughing, inflame airways, trigger asthma-like attacks, and increase the risks of pneumonia, heart attacks, and strokes. Kumar also linked prolonged exposure to impaired lung development in children and lung cancer. To avoid exacerbating the problem, the city's health ministry recommends reducing smoky cooking, using kitchen exhausts that vent outdoors, and avoiding dry sweeping.

While personal precautions can help, sustaining action on pollution sources and ensuring affordable healthcare for those already suffering are crucial. Narayan called for holding governments accountable for cleaning the air.