Delhi Pollution Crisis Worst For Those Left On The Streets

New Delhi: An intersection in Delhi's Dwarka is the only place Anita can call home. With heavy traffic all night and the thick smog that has engulfed Delhi over the last week, it is her 4-year-old Maan and a 5-month-old baby who are among the worst at risk.

Though the national capital is among the most polluted cities in the world, this week has been particularly bad.

Since Diwali this week, pollution levels in Delhi have shot up to alarming levels. Worsened by the colder air, thick smog has engulfed nearly the entire city.

When NDTV met Anita's family, the average levels of PM 2.5, or pollutants smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, on Saturday were 419 micrograms per cubic metre - nearly seven times the levels considered safe.
 Maan is learning to write. She spends most of the day out on the road, exposed to toxic fumes from vehicles and dust. Her mother didn't have enough money for diyas or crackers this Diwali but she now suffers from repeated bouts of breathlessness, cough and sniffling.

"I want my girls to get educated and live a better life but here along the road side, my biggest worry is their health. They will succeed only if they are healthy but with this pollution, I hope they don't grow up to become sick adults," Anita said.

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At least 300 million children live in cities where the air quality is so poor that it is deemed to be toxic, dangerous and unhealthy according to the World Health Organisation.

Vehicular and dust pollution can prevent the lungs of children who live near busy roads from developing properly. Long term exposure could also lead to permanent damage to the lungs, said Dr Nevin Kishore a pulmonary specialist.

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