New Delhi Closes Schools Due to Severe Smog Crisis
New Delhi, India’s capital, transitioned all schools to online classes starting Monday as toxic smog levels escalated, intensifying the city’s ongoing health emergency.
On Sunday evening, PM2.5 pollution levels—microscopic, cancer-causing particles capable of entering the bloodstream through the lungs—soared to 57 times the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended daily limit. By Monday morning, the levels remained alarmingly high at 39 times above the safe threshold, with the city shrouded in a dense, grey haze of acrid smog.
This annual crisis is largely attributed to agricultural stubble burning in neighboring states, coupled with emissions from factories and heavy traffic. To curb the deteriorating air quality, city authorities implemented the restrictions as a precautionary measure.
The smog not only poses significant health risks but also underscores the urgent need for long-term solutions to address the root causes of pollution in the region.
