The air quality in India’s capital Delhi has reached dangerous levels – over 100 times higher than normal. For years, Greater Delhi, with its 25 million people, has been regarded the world’s most polluted city.
The city’s government has taken measures to combat air pollution. Schools were closed, construction that was not essential was stopped, people were told to use public transportation to get to work or work from home.
Dangerously polluted air comes at the same time every year – when farmers burn fields in neighbouring areas after harvesting crops. In addition, car fumes and burning waste in factories adds to air pollution. The low temperatures keep dust and particles near the surface.
Delhi inhabitants can be seen wearing masks and buying air purifiers. People suffer from coughing and runny noses. Hospitals are overcrowded with patients who have breathing problems.
Air pollution in Delhi
Image: Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0,
via Wikimedia Commons
Words
- air purifier = machine that makes the air cleaner
- capital = city in which the government is located
- car fumes = smoke or gases that come out of cars
- combat = fight against
- construction = the building of houses, roads, bridges etc…
- crops = plants like wheat, rice or corn that farmers grow and sell as food
- dust = dry powder made out of dirt
- essential = really necessary
- government = the people who rule a city
- inhabitants = the people who live in a city
- overcrowded = too many people in a small area
- particles = very small pieces of something
- polluted = here: dangerously dirty
- public transportation = buses, trains, subways that everyone can use
- regarded = to be looked at as
- runny nose = liquid comes out of your nose because you have a cold
- surface = the top layer
- take measures = to do something to solve the problem