Delhi air pollution alert: Symptoms to watch for as toxic air is compared to smoking a cigarette

A scratchy throat, irritated eyes or a cough that refuses to go away can seem like minor inconveniences when Delhi’s air turns hazy. But as pollution levels climb across the capital, these symptoms deserve attention. The concern extends beyond immediate discomfort: prolonged exposure to polluted air can affect the lungs and cardiovascular system, with children, older adults and people with existing heart or lung conditions particularly vulnerable.

On October 22, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 226 at 7 am, placing it in the ‘poor’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The previous day, the city’s AQI had risen from 179 on October 20 to 244 at 2 pm, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to invoke Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR.

The deterioration reportedly followed Dussehra, although the readings alone cannot establish how much individual pollution sources contributed. What symptoms can Delhi’s worsening air pollution cause? Air pollution does not affect everyone in the same way, and some people may experience symptoms sooner than others.