New Delhi authorities implements emergency measures
Date
11/20/2024 1:04:57 AM
(MENAFN) In response to severe air pollution, New Delhi authorities have implemented emergency measures, including closing schools, halting construction projects, and banning non-essential trucks after pollution levels hit their highest point of the season.
The capital, home to around 33 million people, was blanketed in a dense, toxic fog that enveloped landmarks and tall buildings. The air quality was rated as "dangerous" by the environmental agency Safar. In some areas, pollution levels exceeded the World health Organization's safety guidelines by more than 50 times, with the situation expected to worsen throughout the week.
The pollution crisis is particularly intense during the winter, driven in part by farmers burning crop residues, which release dense smoke. This smoke is compounded by cold temperatures that trap the polluted air, while emissions from vehicles and factories add to the toxic haze in the city.
In response, the authorities have activated the fourth phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP 4), which includes measures such as shifting classes for students in grades 10 and 12 to online learning, banning trucks that aren't essential, restricting the use of diesel vehicles, and suspending construction activities.
Residents, especially vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions, have been urged to stay indoors. Despite the hazardous pollution, many residents continued their daily routines, with some even visiting parks.
Health problems, including sore throats and coughing, have become widespread, and some locals have likened the city to a "gas chamber" or described it as resembling "the end of the world," calling for permanent solutions to the health crisis. Research shows that over a million deaths in India each year are linked to pollution-related illnesses.
Though past measures like water sprinklers and fog guns have been deployed, critics emphasize the need for long-term strategies to address the root causes of pollution rather than just responding to its immediate effects.
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