Around two dozen people, mostly children, reached a hospital in Rajasthan’s Sikar after they complained of breathlessness, dizziness, and uneasiness. The incident raised concern about rising pollution levels in the city. Officials said the children may have inhaled polluted air near the industrial zone and the bus depot, areas often flagged for heavy emissions.
Police said the burning of clothes in a nearby furnace appears to be the initial cause. Residents around Lal Bahadur School reported discomfort for weeks, linking their symptoms to rising pollution and dust.
Doctors Say All Patients Are Stable After Sudden Pollution Spike
Doctors confirmed that all admitted patients are in stable condition. Dr. Shivpal Singh from SK Hospital said the children first noticed smoke but did not realise its impact until they developed breathing issues, sneezing, and suffocation. Local authorities are checking the sequence of events and are waiting for an official confirmation on the pollution source.
Students and residents from different parts of Sikar complained of similar symptoms. Officials said the Pollution Control Board is examining the furnace site where the burning took place.
Sikar Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Ratan Lal said officials have started an investigation into the incident. He confirmed that twenty-two patients, including fifteen children, were admitted after they reported breathing difficulties. He said the burning of clothes in a nearby furnace is the suspected cause, based on the first inspection. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, Sikar’s air quality fell in the Moderate category with an index value of 172. Residents said pollution levels have increased in recent days, causing throat irritation and coughing.
Smog Covers Delhi-NCR as AQI Slips Into ‘Very Poor’ Category
Meanwhile, Delhi woke up to dense smog as the average Air Quality Index touched 381 at 7 am, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage IV remained in place, but the air showed no major improvement. Sunday’s AQI was 359, indicating a steady rise in pollution levels. Bawana recorded the highest AQI at 435, which falls in the ‘severe’ category. Dwarka’s NSIT logged the lowest at 313. Anand Vihar reported an AQI of 429, showing ‘very poor’ air conditions across NCR.
(Inputs from ANI)
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
