Foreign
A public health emergency was declared in New Delhi and surrounding areas on Friday as the region struggled with alarmingly high levels of air pollution.
The Environment Pollution Control Authority, a pollution watchdog set up by the Supreme Court, also banned industrial activities and construction work until Nov. 5.
Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, ordered schools shut until next Tuesday, blaming farmers in neighbouring states for burning crop residue that he said was responsible for over 40 per cent of the city’s pollution.
Five million masks will be distributed to students and their parents over a week-long period, Kejriwal said.
The high pollution levels came during a visit from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who arrived in New Delhi late Thursday for a two-day tour.
Pollution levels in the city hit the emergency category Thursday night for the first time since January, the NDTV network reported.
Levels of suspended particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres, or PM2.5, hovered around 500 micrograms per cubic metre at several locations on Friday.
During a ceremonial welcome at the presidential palace on Friday morning, Merkel did not wear any respiratory protection despite the severity of Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index levels.
The World Health Organisation recommends that people not be exposed to PM2.5 measuring more than 25 micrograms in any 24-hour period, as the small particles can get deep into the lungs and even the bloodstream.
Sports players in the city also experienced pollution first-hand.
Bangladeshi cricket team players were spotted practising wearing masks ahead of a match against India in Delhi on Sunday.
Indian cities, particularly in the north, like Ghaziabad and Lucknow, also recorded high levels of pollution, Central Pollution Control Board data showed.
CPCB officials said although pollution levels will improve from severe to poor levels by Saturday, there would be no let-up in thick smog hanging over the Delhi till Sunday.
Delhi, a city with a population of 25 million, has been ranked among the world’s most polluted cities in recent years.
The city has long been grappling with air pollution that spikes from October to November owing to seasonal crop stubble burning, dense cloud cover and lack of surface winds as well as vehicular emissions and smoke from Diwali firecrackers.
The Delhi government has launched a graded plan to tackle pollution that includes banning of diesel generators, as well as running a scheme to control the number of vehicles on roads from next week.
NAN
– Nov. 1, 2019 @ 16:15 GMT |
Tags: Pollution emergency declared over smog in Delhi during Merkel visit
