I’m going to start today with a little story – in 2018, China built a 328-foot tower, dubbed the world’s biggest air purifier.
The same year, India built a 597-foot statue, called the Statue of Unity.
In November 2019, Beijing’s pollution level, which had consistently been high, stayed below 200 on the Air Quality Index.
In New Delhi at the same time, pollution levels crossed 999 on the Air Quality Index. But that’s only because the index doesn’t go higher than 999. In reality, the pollution level was as high as 1,200, 1400, and in some parts, above 2,100!
For context, an AQI above 100 is unsafe, anything above 300 can cause respiratory disorders, and anything above 400 can impact even healthy people, and cause SEVERE damage to people with heart disease and lung issues.
Is there a point to my little story? Yes. Yes there is.
DELHI IS CHOKING! PEOPLE LIVING IN DELHI WON’T BE LIVING MUCH LONGER! OUR EYES ARE BURNING, OUR LUNGS ARE BLACK, AND THE AIR WE’RE BREATHING IS LITERALLY KILLING US.
Despite our past commitments to change, despite doctors, health agencies and the government warning us… how did we mess up so badly once again?
And can we do anything about it, apart from pack up and run from Delhi?
This is a special two-part podcast on pollution. In the first part, we’ll go over what’s causing the ridiculously dangerous levels of pollution in the capital, what harm it can do, what steps have been taken to check it and, most importantly, how we can protect ourselves from the pollution.
In the second part, we explore the causes closer – is stubble burning the real cause? Is it fireworks? Industrial emissions? And can we do anything to reduce pollution?
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)