India air pollution deteriorates to “hazardous” rating – “Pollution has reached unbearable levels across North India”
3 November 2019 (BBC News) – Air pollution in the north of India has “reached unbearable levels,” the capital Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvid Kejriwal says.
In many areas of Delhi air quality deteriorated into the “hazardous” category on Sunday with the potential to cause respiratory illnesses.
Authorities have urged people to stay inside to protect themselves.
Mr Kejriwal called on the central government to provide relief and tackle the toxic pollution.
Schools have been closed, more than 30 flights diverted and construction work halted as the city sits in a thick blanket of smog.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain advised the city’s residents to “avoid outdoor physical activities, especially during morning and late evening hours”.
The advisory also said people should wear anti-pollution masks, avoid polluted areas and keep doors and windows closed.
Levels of dangerous particles in the air – known as PM2.5 – are far higher than recommended and about seven times higher than in the Chinese capital Beijing.
An Indian health ministry official said the city’s pollution monitors did not have enough digits to accurately record pollution levels, which he called a “disaster”. […]
On Sunday young people in Delhi came out to protest and demand action.
She said she wanted long-term and sustainable anti-pollution measures put in place.
“We are concerned about our futures and about our health but we are also fighting this on behalf of the children and the elderly who bear the biggest brunt of the problem here,” she said.
“You can obviously see how terrible it is and it’s actually scary you can’t see things in front of you,” said Jaivipra. […]
A major factor behind the high pollution levels at this time of year is farmers in neighbouring states burning crop stubble to clear their fields.
This creates a lethal cocktail of particulate matter, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide – all worsened by fireworks set off during the Hindu festival Diwali a week ago.
Vehicle fumes, construction and industrial emissions have also contributed to the smog. [more]
India air pollution at ‘unbearable levels’, Delhi minister says
India’s smog-bound capital suffers most hazardous air so far this year
By Manoj Kumar
3 November 2019
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Air pollution in New Delhi and surrounding towns reached the worst levels so far this year on Sunday, with authorities in the world’s most polluted capital city having already declared a public health emergency and ordered the closure of schools.
The air quality index, measuring levels of PM 2.5, tiny particulate matter in the air, deteriorated to above 900, way over the 500-level that qualifies as “severe-plus”.
Aside from the harm it was doing to the lungs of some 40 million people living in the capital region, the smog was so bad more than 30 flights were diverted from Delhi airport due to poor visibility.
Roads looked deserted as large numbers of people stayed home, rather than expose themselves to the noxious atmosphere outside.
“Pollution has reached unbearable levels across north India,” Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s chief minister said in a message on twitter.
The government environment monitoring agency SAFAR warned that no relief was expected for the next one to two days, as humidity resulting from unexpected light rains overnight had exacerbated pollution, already driven by higher the seasonal crop stubble burning by farmers in the surrounding states. […]
According to SAFAR, satellite pictures had captured more than 3,000 incidents of stubble burning last week in neighboring states, contributing to 44% of Delhi’s pollution. [more]
India’s smog-bound capital suffers most hazardous air so far this year
