Air quality in several areas across Sri Lanka has deteriorated to unhealthy levels, according to real-time data from the Air Quality Index (AQI).

Among the affected areas are Kaduruwela, Chilaw, Akaragama, Wanduragala, Digana, Madampagama, Hungama, Akkaraipattu, Kalawana, Mulliyawalai, Pannankandy, Adampan, and Uppaveli, along with several parts of Jaffna and Colombo.

According to the AQI readings, the pollutant levels in these areas have reached a point where prolonged exposure may pose health risks, particularly to vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or heart conditions.

Recommended actions include reducing outdoor exercise, keeping windows closed to prevent dirty outdoor air from entering homes, and wearing protective masks when going outside — especially for sensitive groups.

Meanwhile, in India, a thick layer of smog has enveloped New Delhi since the weekend, filling the air with an acrid smell and reaching hazardous levels. On Monday morning, the city’s AQI stood at 344, classified as “severe” and dangerous to breathe according to World Health Organization guidelines.

The worsening air quality in India has also sparked rare public protests. Late Sunday, hundreds of residents, including parents and environmental activists, gathered at India Gate to demand urgent government action, many wearing masks and carrying placards reading “I miss breathing.”