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New Delhi: Residents of Delhi are suffering from sore throats, coughs, and burning eyes as air pollution in the city reaches dangerous levels, claimed a report by LocalCircles. The survey shows that three out of four households in Delhi-NCR report health problems from the toxic air. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded PM2.5 levels at 488 micrograms per cubic metre after Diwali, the highest in five years and more than three times the pre-festival level of 156.6. Pollution peaked during the night of October 20 and the early hours of October 21, according to news agency PTI. The survey, which received over 44,000 responses from Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad, found that 42% of households reported at least one member suffering from a sore throat or cough. Around 25% said family members experienced burning eyes, headaches, or trouble sleeping, and 17% reported breathing difficulties or worsened asthma. Also Read: Delhi to Unveil Its First-Ever Logo on November 1: All You Need to Know To cope with the poor air quality, 44% of households are avoiding outdoor activities and taking immunity-boosting foods. Nearly a third have consulted or plan to consult doctors for pollution-related health problems. Also Read: 'Convenient, Seamless, Hassle-Free': Delhi’s Terminal 2 Reopens, Can Handle 15 Million Passengers Annually Stubble Burning Cases Reduced Despite a 77.5 per cent reduction in stubble burning events in Punjab and Haryana due to floods and delayed harvests, Delhi's air quality has remained poor with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 400 in several areas -- about 24 times higher than the World Health Organization's recommended level for PM2.5 exposure. LocalCircles said the findings highlight that residents are "already feeling the impact of toxic air" and called for strict enforcement of anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), including deployment of smog guns and night-time sweeping to reduce dust. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Delhi's overall AQI on Saturday morning stood in the "poor" category at 261, down from 290 a day earlier. However, Anand Vihar recorded a "severe" AQI of 415, the highest among all monitoring stations. (With Inputs from Agency) Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Delhi and around the world.
