Air pollution can become worse in summer

Air pollution and its health effects are not only worse in winters but can be damaging in summers too.  Summers don't just bring heat but also photochemical oxidant pollutants like ozone, ultraviolet and sunlight.
Ozone is potent irritant and causes significant chest illness. There is significant increase in absence of school children from school and increase in deaths in lung and heart patients with rising ozone levels.

Air pollution is related with significant heart, pulmonary (lung) & neurological (brain) diseases. Recently low birth weight in new born & autism are also linked with air pollution.

Exercising in open environment in peak pollution can make you more susceptible to ill effects of air pollution. 

Monitoring air pollution: a silver lining for chest and heart patients

NAQI (National Air Quality Index) is a real time monitoring of  air pollution in 8 states across 11 cities in India (Delhi, Faridabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow & Varanasi). With launch of this we enter in the era where public can access the pollution levels in real time.

The website gives levels of various pollutants  and also calculates AQI (air quality index) with nice color pictorial with green indicating good air and maroon signifying severe air pollution causing maximum health impact.

It also tells the prominent air pollutant. Now patients, especially suffering from lung and heart diseases, can see the air pollution levels and decide about their movements. This can significantly reduce their exposure to air pollution and thus prevent them from life threatening acute exacerbations.

Delhi being worst affected by air pollution, is going to benefit the most. There are 10 stations spread all across Delhi telling which areas are affected worst at what time. So the patient can keep an information of air pollution levels on hourly basis and can also predict best and worst hours.

The website link is following:
aqi.iitk.ac.in