UV levels too high; skin, eye damage cases on rise in city

Ozone layer not enough to shield from city's pollution, long summers

- Ankit Pandey

The city may be far from the Antarctic "ozone hole," but it still faces dangerously high ultraviolet (UV) exposure for most of the year.

The ozone layer shields us from harmful UV rays, but local pollution and long summers make the city vulnerable. In summer, Ahmedabad's UV index often peaks at 11-12, which the World Health Organisation classifies as "extreme." Even in September, levels remain around 10 — "very high." Only in December and January do they drop to 6-7, still enough to cause harm with prolonged exposure.