New Delhi: At least 207 people had died in Delhi because of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in 2016, the year the city witnessed its most severe episodes of air pollution, compared to the situations in previous years.

The data was submitted to the Lok Sabha on Friday by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Delhi’s air pollution was almost similar to Jharia throughout 2016, a town in Jharkhand, known for its choking fumes and dust coming out from coal mines.

At least 207 people had died in Delhi in 2016 because of ARI. In 2013, 2014 and 2015 the number of deaths related to such infections were 175, 106 and 133 respectively, it said.

While the annual concentration of PM10 in Jharia was 280 ug/m3, Delhi was just two notches below at 278ug/m3. As far as PM2.5 levels are concerned, Delhi registered the second highest concentration after Chandigarh.

The annual concentration of PM2.5 in Delhi was 118.

This means the levels of PM10 and PM2.5 were more than three times the annual safe standards of 60 and 40 respectively.