Delhi Choked: Eighth Day of Smog and Public Outcry Over Pollution

Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor' for eight days post-Diwali, with an AQI of 383. Smog shrouds the city, posing health risks. Amidst toxic foam in Yamuna, devotees continue Chhath Puja. A PIL on river rituals is dismissed. Delhi's Environment Minister calls for regional cooperation, accusing neighboring states of 'politics'.

For the eighth consecutive day following Diwali, Delhi's air quality continues to rank in the 'very poor' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 383 as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data released at 8 am Friday. The city remains engulfed in dense smog.

Thick smog has significantly reduced visibility in areas like Tilak Marg, where the AQI plummeted to 349. Other regions, such as Alipur, Bawana, and Dwarka Sector 8, reported extremely high AQI levels, indicating severe air pollution with direct implications for public health, according to SAFAR.

Meanwhile, despite the alarming air and water pollution, devotees gathered at Delhi's Yamuna ghat in Kalindi Kunj for the final day of Chhath Puja. Drone footage captured toxic foam along the Yamuna River, a stark reminder of the river's severe contamination, which led to the dismissal of a public interest litigation seeking to perform rituals at the riverbank.

The Delhi High Court, led by Chief Justice, decided against allowing riverbank ceremonies, pointing to alternative venues provided for the Puja. Earlier incidents of illness after river dips underscore the health risks. Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai has called for collective action among North Indian states, accusing neighboring BJP-led governments of politicizing the pollution crisis. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)