Toxic smog, piles of garbage, open sewers… Inside the world’s dirtiest city, 10 times more polluted than London

The “world’s dirtiest city” is 10 times more polluted than London, with a 200-foot “trash pile” stretching several miles wide.

Air quality in India’s capital Delhi has reached critical levels, filled with toxic smog and stench from open sewers.

In fact, the environment has deteriorated so much that residents who frequently breathe some of the world’s poorest quality air are at risk of lung congestion and many diseases.

The biggest sources of pollution in Delhi are the three garbage dumps located in the neighborhoods of Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla.

More than 10,000 tonnes of waste is dumped there every day, from vegetable peels to glass bottles, plastic packaging, batteries, broken toys and discarded clothing.

The mountains are so high that they can be seen from directly across the city, and they are full of flies and vermin, and they emit a disturbing odor.

Delhi’s landfill has become a global hotspot for methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas that traps 82 times more heat than carbon dioxide over 20 years, according to recent satellite data.

At least 124 methane “super emitter” leaks have occurred in Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla since 2020, according to data from environmental intelligence agency Kairos, The Guardian reported.

Although Indian residents primarily use fresh produce for cooking, more than 50 percent of the garbage dumped at landfills each day consists of “wet waste” such as vegetable peels and food scraps. .

Delhi does not have a strict waste separation system in place, so wet waste is left largely unseparated, producing large amounts of methane as it rots.

The situation can get very bad, especially during the summer months.

Delhi’s scorching heat ignites highly flammable gases, turning trash piles into toxic scorching infernos and sending thick smoke into the already highly polluted air.

Although it is illegal to enter the dump, thousands of Delhi residents, including children, climb the mountain to earn a living.

By choosing materials such as plastic, glass, wire, and metal, you can earn enough rupees to buy dinner that night.

But this dangerous activity involves wading through piles of broken glass and used needles.

People who work in the field every day are also at high risk of serious health problems, with many dying from kidney and lung problems.

One local man told the Guardian:

“We know we are being polluted by this dump, but the government does nothing and the garbage continues to collect.”

But even in winter, the air becomes especially toxic.

Emissions from industries and vehicles, low wind speeds and bursting of firecrackers during festivals are just some of the factors contributing to Delhi’s dangerous pollution levels.

A variety of other factors are also contributing to India’s rise in pollution, including the burning of crop residue by farmers in neighboring states, rapid industrialization, and weak enforcement of environmental laws.

Last year, the government was forced to close schools and universities for several days in a row due to toxic air.

Pollution has blanketed Delhi in thick toxic smog, making it look like a post-apocalyptic city as residents walk through the ghostly plumes.

But things have gotten so bad that the city’s residents – some 33 million of them – could lose 11.9 years of their lifespan due to the poor air they breathe.

Pollution levels in Delhi are the worst since 2020, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

Measures introduced by the government to combat pollution include watering roads to reduce dust and building two 80-foot-tall “smog towers.”

The towers, which cost more than $2 million (£1.5 million) each, are supposed to clean the air, but scientists believe they have little effect.