Masked menace: Delhiites report 30% surge in respiratory ailments

With the worst yet to arrive, Delhi has already begun to grapple with that choking feeling synonymous with its winters
Masked menace: Delhiites report 30% surge in respiratory ailments
Commuters wearing masks are a common sight now. Photographs by Amit Shaker and Vikas Choudhary
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Long bygone are the days when lyrics-inspiring Dilli Ki Sardi (Delhi winters) would tempt residents to venture out and embark upon their annual picnic to flowery venues like the Lodhi Garden. The winters in Delhi are now synonymous with a not-so-lyrical, three-worded-acronym — Air Quality Index.

It is reported that Delhi is witnessing a sharp surge (30 per cent) in cases of respiratory illnesses like the asthma, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pneumonia.

Masked menace: Delhiites report 30% surge in respiratory ailments
Children and elderly are most vulnerable to the bad air quality in the national capital.

With the air quality fluctuating between 'poor' and 'very poor' categories, the national capital is yet to experience the bulk of smoggy onslaught from the fertile plains of the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.

Regular activities like morning walks and outdoor games take a hit when the air quality deteriorates.
Regular activities like morning walks and outdoor games take a hit when the air quality deteriorates.
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