Delhi’s Air Pollution Reaches Dangerous Levels, Alarming Doctors Over Nervous System Impact

Air quality is severely affected in Delhi-NCR region. As of today morning, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi is 488. When this level is reached, if people breathe polluted air, various physical ailments including respiratory problems and asthma will occur. Due to this, various measures have been taken to prevent pollution and improve air quality. Even though various measures have been taken like sprinkling of water on the roads, control of construction works, use of coal in hotels, ban on the use of diesel generators, turning off the engines of the vehicles so that the vehicles waiting at the signal will turn on the green light after the red lights start flashing in the traffic signals, the air quality continues to deteriorate. In this situation, doctors from Delhi have warned the people that the increased level of ‘extremely severe’ pollution in Delhi will not only affect the lungs but also other vital organs like the heart and brain. Doctors have also said: As a result of increased pollution, there has been a sudden increase in cases of headaches, anxiety, irritability, confusion and loss of memory. It especially affects the elderly, school going children and pregnant women. The main reason for this is that increasing levels of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide in the air affect the nervous system as they are directly related to neurological memory, said Dr Neeraj Gupta at Safdarjung Hospital.