The fireworks ban was widely ignored in Delhi.
New Delhi:
Skyrocketing pollution in Delhi – which reportedly had the world's highest levels of pollutants the day after Diwali – is having a direct impact on people's health, with 69% of households in the capital and National Capital Region (NCR) reporting at least At least one person is suffering, a study shows.
The AQI (Air Quality Index) also reached 999, the highest on record, in several parts of Delhi and NCR on Diwali night on Thursday.
The LocalCircles survey, which received over 21,000 responses from residents of Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, found that 69% of families have one or more members with a sore throat or cough, and 62% have at least one member has a feeling of fever. a burning sensation in the eyes due to increasing pollution and 46% have a runny or blocked nose. Several respondents reported more than one symptom.
Members with breathing difficulties or asthma were reported by 31%, headaches by 31%, anxiety and/or concentration problems by 23% and sleep problems by 15%. On the other hand, 31% also said that no one in their family had problems because of pollution.
The last such study was conducted on October 19, days after GRAP (graded response action plan)-1 was imposed on Delhi and there has been a significant shift in at least one of the symptoms in two weeks. The percentage of people with a sore throat and/or cough has increased from 36% at the time to 69% on Friday.
'Just live with it'
Only 23% of respondents will use air purifiers to get them through this phase of very high pollution, and an equal number say they will just live with it.
15% stated they plan to continue their routine activities and wear a mask outdoors, the same number said they would do so while increasing consumption of immunity-boosting foods or drinks, and the same percentage also said they plan are to travel for part of the month.
However, the percentage of families that say they will use an air purifier has increased from 18% to 23% in two weeks.
