Delhi has been battling severe air pollution since Diwali. The smog from farm fires, stubble burning and unfavourable weather has pushed pollution in Delhi-NCR towards the "emergency" zone, prompting authorities to order closure of schools till November 15 - a second time in two weeks. Today, the Air Quality Index (AQI) docked at 472 with particulate matter (PM) 2.5 levels at 322 and PM 10 levels at 487 at 8:30 in the morning, said System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).
The smog crisis is so bad, experts have warned that breathing polluted air is equivalent to smoking multiple cigarettes a day. "Intake of every 22 micrograms per cubic metre of polluted air is equivalent to smoking a cigarette. So whether the PM2.5 level is 700 or 300 units, the impact is still as bad," said Dr Arvind Kumar, lung surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
In the midst of this, Delhi residents have taken recourse to witty posts and jokes to talk about the city's air pollution problem. Since Diwali, posts on #DelhiPollution have flooded social media. We compiled some of the best ones for you:
The Congress shared an image today that reimagined the warning on a packet of cigarettes to say: "Breathing is injurious to health".
Their witty post was widely appreciated, collecting over 2,300 'likes' within an hour of being posted.
Many criticised the rapid deterioration of air quality in the national capital with a viral meme. The meme, when translated, reads: "Till when will you spend your life with cigarettes, beedis and cigars. Spend a few days in Delhi-NCR."
Air quality in Delhi is the worst in the world pic.twitter.com/7Z6W0xHHl8
— BHAIRAVI GOSWAMI (@bhairavigoswami) November 1, 2018
Many social media users also shared 'new names' for Delhi streets, more in keeping with the current situation
Via whatsapp... pic.twitter.com/pIEqFm4hAO
— Mayur Puri / मयूर पुरी (@mayurpuri) November 3, 2019
"Sheher nahi zeher (Poison, not city)" one Twitter user wrote while sharing a picture of Delhi covered in a blanket of haze
This is at 10 in Delhi. Shame on @ArvindKejriwal @narendramodi @PrakashJavdekar and shame on us for putting up with this and electing such inefficient leaders to lead us who can't ensure our basic right of breathing fresh air.#DelhiAirEmergency #DelhiAirPollution #DelhiPollution pic.twitter.com/lwf08FVa2K
— Avinash Kaul (@Kaul_Avinash) November 13, 2019
This cartoon describes the situation in Delhi
```Men smoke cigarettes.
— Sanjay Sharma (@SSharma4U) November 8, 2019
Real men smoke cigars.
Legends stay in Delhi NCR.``` ???????? @rashtrapatibhvn@narendramodi @RahulGandhi @ArvindKejriwal @aajtak @sanmarg_news@uttarbanga @abpanandatv @MyAnandaBazar @BartamanNews @manogyaloiwal pic.twitter.com/Jk210o0hZh
"Smog filter for today Because Instagram filters are too mainstream!"
DELHI BE LIKE: #smog filter for today
— Sarang (@sarangs722) November 7, 2017
Because Instagram filters are too mainstream! ???? pic.twitter.com/ujUmLacMkK
On Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the odd-even scheme in Delhi that ends on Friday may get extended if needed.
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