80% Delhi-NCR families report pollution symptoms this November: Survey
A new survey shows 4 out of 5 households in Delhi and nearby cities have at least one person who struggled with toxic air or pollution because of severe air pollution this November.
Over 53,000 people from places like Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad took part.
Men affected the most
About a third of families said four or more members were affected by pollution symptoms.
The problem hits everyone—young and old—with men making up 61% of respondents.
Since Diwali, air quality has stayed "poor" to "severe," with PM2.5 levels sometimes reaching nearly 950 (that's over 60 times the safe limit set by the WHO).
Hospitals seeing more breathing, heart problems
Diwali firecrackers, traffic fumes, factory emissions, and weather that traps dirty air all add up to make things worse.
Hospitals are seeing more cases of breathing and heart problems—and some schools have even had to close for safety.