New Delhi: Delhites on Monday woke up under a thick blanket of smog as the air quality continued to be in the ‘severe’ category due to continuous stubble burning. According to a News18 report, the doctors in the national capital have reported a 20 per cent rise in the number of patients with respiratory problems. A survey conducted by a community social media platform has also found that four in five families in the Delhi-NCR region have someone facing one or more ailments due to contaminated air.

The doctors have also suggested that the current AQI levels may badly affect those who have recovered from Covid-19 infection.

The survey conducted by LocalCircles said that 91 per cent of Delhi residents believe authorities were completely or partially ineffective in enforcing the ban on transportation, distribution and sale of crackers this Diwali.

Here are some of the key findings of the survey:

  • More than 34,000 responses were received from residents of Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad for the survey, a statement said.
  • In the survey, the respondents were asked the kind of ailments faced by them since the last week as the Delhi-NCR’s air quality turned severe.
  • “In response, 16 per cent respondents said they were experiencing sore throat or cough or both, another 16 per cent said runny nose, congestion or burning eyes, while 16 per cent said they were facing breathing difficulty,” it said.
  • Only 20 per cent of the respondents experienced “no impact” of the polluted environment. On an aggregate basis, four in five families in Delhi-NCR are now experiencing one or more ailments due to polluted air, the statement said.
  • There were 24 per cent people who experienced all the above mentioned issues, while eight per cent experienced at least two of the symptoms.
  • Nearly 22 per cent of the respondents said they or someone in their family have already visited doctors or hospitals regarding air pollution-related ailments.
  • Meanwhile, only 28 per cent families in Delhi-NCR plan to use air purifiers and 61 per cent anti-pollution masks to cope with the current situation.