The air quality in India’s capital is known to be among the world’s worst.

But at this time of the year, pollution in New Delhi soars, making it extremely difficult to breathe.

A huge cloud of smog settles over the city as wind speeds slow down during winter.

It is full of air pollutants from vehicle exhaust, construction dust, industrial emissions, and crop burning, to name a few.

On normal days, that is very harmful and can cause eye and nose infections, and lung diseases.

But during the coronavirus pandemic, those health risks can be even more challenging to overcome for those with respiratory problems.

So, what can be done to avoid a disaster?

Presenter: Bernard Smith

Guests:

Dipa Sinha – Assistant professor of economics at Ambedkar University Delhi

Dr. Sarika Verma – Ear, nose, and throat surgeon

Karthik Ganesan – Research fellow at the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water