Worsening pollution in Delhi's Anand Vihar leaves residents with persistent health complaints

New Delhi: With the air pollution reaching an alarming level in Delhi's Anand Vihar, people living in the area are facing health issues as there has been a surge in cases of respiratory and throat infections and eye irritation in the last few days.

Zaved Ali, an auto-rickshaw driver at the Anand Nagar bus stand, shared his struggles with the worsening air quality. "My eyes are constantly irritated and often turn red, leading to blurred vision. It makes it really difficult to drive safely," Ali said.

He added that though he carries a mask, wearing it for extended periods is uncomfortable and affects his ability to breathe properly.

Delhi's Anand Vihar area is one of the most polluted areas. The air quality index (AQI) here is consistently in the 'severe' category. On Friday, the overall AQI of the national capital was 389 at 8.30 am, while Anand Vihar's AQI stood at 419, making it the hub of worst air pollution.

The impact on residents is not just limited to irritation in eyes.

Sunita, a local homemaker, has been battling a persistent cough and eye irritation for several days. Despite visiting doctors multiple times, she says nothing seems to provide a lasting relief.

"I have visited doctors multiple times, but nothing seems to help," she said.

Supriya Yadav, a mother of two, is particularly concerned about her child's health.

"My child has been suffering from stomach issues that sometimes get better but often get worse. I've consulted so many doctors, but the medicines don't seem to make a difference," she said.

Supriya also mentioned the deteriorating water quality in the area, which she believes exacerbates the health problems in her family. "We can't afford to buy bottled water. It's not just the air, but the water quality is also a big issue," she added.

A walk through the area revealed a thick haze of smog, distorting the view and making it difficult to see anything clearly.

This area has an inter-state bus terminal and a railway station, which results in high vehicular movement, leading to an increase in pollution levels in the area.

Harendra Singh, who works at ISBT bus stand in Anand Vihar, described how pollution is affecting his work as he stays there for 10 hours per day.

"The rising pollution has made it difficult for us to sit here all day. There's always dust and dirt in the air, and it causes my eyes to get red and irritated and I even get cough," he said.

The daily struggle to breathe clean air is a shared experience among many residents.

Nirmal Singh, a 70-year-old heart patient, has noticed his breathing difficulties getting worse as pollution levels rise.

"I've lived here all my life, but the pollution has gotten so much worse in the last decade. The air is thick, and even in the early morning or late evening, it's hard to breathe properly," Singh said.

He also mentioned that the quality of water supplied to his home has "declined sharply", causing him and his family additional health issues.

"We can't afford to buy bottled water. The water we get is dirty, and it causes more problems. My family has been falling sick regularly," he added, with his concern palpable.