Delhi’s AQI reached the ‘very poor’ category with severe readings across multiple stations. Meanwhile, a major study links long-term air pollution exposure to a 10-16% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, highlighting severe health risks.
New Delhi [India], November 15 (ANI): The national capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 352 on Sunday morning, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, while a thick layer of smog continued to engulf several parts of Delhi, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. As PM10 and PM2.5 continue to be prominent pollutants, with several monitoring stations recording AQI levels in the ‘severe’ category as of 7:05 AM. IIT Delhi recorded the AQI at 425, followed by ITO at 415, Commonwealth Sports Complex at 403, North Campus of Delhi University and Pusa at 402 each, and Burari Crossing at 400. Among other monitoring stations, Punjabi Bagh recorded an AQI of 386, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) 383, Akshardham Temple 365, RK Puram 339, Okhla Phase-2 330 and Maidan Garhi 325. A few monitoring stations recorded comparatively lower AQI levels, with Najafgarh registering 298, IGNOU-Maidan Garhi 278 and IMD Lodhi Road (IITM) 280, all in the ‘poor’ category. The Cantonment Area recorded an AQI of 165, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category. The Commission for Air Quality Management has ordered GRAP 3 in NCR and adjoining areas on November 6. Meanwhile, in a landmark public health analysis published in the Journal of Vascular Diseases, researchers found that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter is consistently associated with a 10% to 16% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Synthesising data spanning more than 200 million cumulative participant observations worldwide, the study establishes that air pollution is no longer solely a cardiopulmonary concern, but a potent, systemic metabolic disruptor demanding urgent integration into cardiometabolic prevention frameworks with profound implications for high-exposure regions like South Asia. The study was co-authored by Anoop Misra, Padma Shri and Executive Chairman & Director, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Fortis C-Doc Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences, New Delhi, along with Yashendra Sethi, Nirja Kaka, Saurabh Singhal, Manvi Vasudev and Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai. (ANI)