Season’s First Fog Casts Ghazipur Landfill Out of Sight, Delhi Faces Heavy Smog

Delhi: The Ghazipur landfill, an enormous waste site towering in East Delhi, was rendered invisible as fog and pollution levels blanketed the city. The combination of fog and smog created a “smog-fog” effect, intensifying pollution levels and exacerbating health concerns for Delhi’s residents.

The worsening air quality as particulate levels continue to rise across the city. According to local air quality monitoring, the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 pollutants surged due to the temperature drop and stagnant air, causing the city to record “very poor” to “severe” AQI levels in various zones. Experts have warned that this early-season fog, combined with high pollution levels, signals the start of Delhi’s notorious winter “smog season.” As temperatures drop, pollutants from vehicles, industrial emissions, and stubble burning in neighboring states like Punjab and Haryana get trapped near the ground, intensifying the city's air quality issues.

Delhi’s government has implemented emergency measures, including restrictions on construction activities and encouraging work-from-home policies where possible to mitigate exposure to the polluted air. However, environmentalists continue to call for long-term solutions, such as improving waste management, shifting towards cleaner energy, and reducing vehicular emissions, to prevent such extreme air quality events in the future. As Delhi braces for more foggy days ahead, the situation underscores the urgent need for both immediate and sustainable solutions to address the capital’s recurring air pollution crisis.