Delhi's spiralling pollution levels spur some to relocate from the city in search for cleaner air

With the smog situation in Delhi remaining grim , many citizens are relocating out the capital for health reasons, media reports said. According to Business Standard, TV anchor and foodie Mayur Sharma left the city last month after having spent his entire life in the capital while designer Swati Jain has decided to relocate from there. After spending seven years in the capital, lawyer Alok Kumar returned to his hometown Bengaluru last October, after he found his bronchitis was deteriorating with every year, Economic Times reported. Two years ago, New York Times correspondent Gardiner Harris had written about leaving Delhi because of its dangerous air pollution and its effect on his sons’ health. “The air and the mounting research into its effects have become so frightening that some feel it is unethical for those who have a choice to willingly raise children here,” he wrote. Designer Swati Jain has also decided to relocate after doctors advised her 68-year-old mother who suffers from interstitial lung disease to leave the capital. “This air is poison for her,” Swati told Business Standard. Another resident posted his decision to leave the city on social media.

Many residents have realised that despite the best efforts, measures at this point are limited and it will take some time for the government to come up with long-term solutions to the problem. On 8 November, the  air in Delhi  was ten times more polluted than that in Beijing, where the air is considered highly toxic. The levels of PM2.5—tiny particles that embed deep inside the lungs—had shot up to 833, way above the permissible level of 50. [caption id=“attachment_4207297” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Delhi has been battling severe smog and pollution since the last week. PTI[/caption] For those who live in Delhi braving the pollution, there are measures being taken at different levels. Companies in the region are going the extra mile and implementing employee-friendly measures like flexible working hours, allowing work from home and installing air purifiers in office to ensure staff wellness. With the deterioration of the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR, doctors in Delhi have declared a public health emergency. The Delhi government has put out health advisories for high-risk groups, mainly children and the elderly, saying they should avoid outdoor activity. “People should remain indoors if they have breathing difficulty and also try to keep children indoors, as much as possible. People should avoid morning walks or any other strenuous outdoor activity that increases breathing rate,” the advisory said. Union minister Nitin Gadkari has directed officials of all highway projects to take stringent steps to check pollution. The Delhi government on Monday announced that all schools in the national capital will reopen on Tuesday after a five-day break in view of the alarming air pollution levels, an official said. Follow LIVE updates here . With inputs from PTI