Bilal ibnu Shahul
The Indian capital, New Delhi is enveloped by a shroud of toxic smog since last Monday, creating health concerns to the residents. The state had declared ‘Public Health Emergency’ and advised schools to shut down. “This is a Public Health Emergency. So everyone should stay indoors, no jogging, running or walking outside”, said Dr.Krishan Kumar Aggarwal, the headof Indian Medical Assosiation (IMA). The levels of PM2.5 the tiny particulate matter that enters deep into the lungs and bloodstream reached catastrophic level of 703 on Tuesday, which is more than double the mark of 300,that authorities deem as hazardous.
The CM of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal called the city as Gas Chamber in twitter. ‘Every year this happens during this part of the year.We have to find out a solution to crop burning in adjoining areas’ he said referring to smoke caused by the burning of crops in the northern states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh which borders with Delhi.
Government authorities blame eachother for this sudden worsening f Air Quality. Delhi, already notorious as most polluted world capital, plunged into this thick blanket of toxic smog barely after a week of Diwali celebrations. Though the apex court had banned sales if fire crackers in delhi, the situation delved from poor to severeduring the celebration week.
Concerns of poor air quality over Delhi has prompted foreign governments to putout travel advisories and led to atleast one international airline, the US-based United Airlines temporarily suspended its flights citing ‘severe weather condition”. The government is trying to implement measures to curb pollution emissions and to nullify its effects through various measures.
Odd-Even scheme again revamps to scene in hope of checking the traffic and thereby checking emission levels of pollution. Government assigned Pawan Hans helipoter Ltd thetask of aerial sprinking of water in National Capital Terittory (NCT) region.
Photo – The Independent
