On November 5, 2021, commuters marched along the streets under the smog in New Delhi.
- On Saturday, the air quality index contained more than 300 harmful PM 2.5 particles.
- This number is more than 10 times the safe daily limit set by the World Health Organization.
- On Saturday, the Supreme Court recommended a pollution blockade on Delhi to help solve the air quality crisis.
The Pollution Control Agency of India warned of an imminent health emergency in New Delhi, as the deteriorating air quality in the capital made the sky dark.
The city is listed as one of the most polluted cities in the world. Every winter, 20 million people fill the sky with a dangerous mixture of factory emissions, car exhaust, and smoke from agricultural fires.
On Saturday, the air quality index contained more than 300 harmful PM 2.5 particles. This number is more than 10 times the safe daily limit set by the World Health Organization.
A reading of more than 300 for 48 consecutive hours will initiate emergency measures in the capital, including the closure of primary schools and strict traffic restrictions.
The Central Pollution Control Committee told New Delhi residents on Friday to “restrict outdoor activities and minimize contact” and recommended that government authorities prepare to “implement measures of the’emergency’ category”.
It added that the poor air quality may continue until November 18.
On Saturday, the Supreme Court recommended a pollution blockade on Delhi to help solve the air quality crisis.
“Otherwise, how do we live?” Chief Justice NV Ramana said.
Despite the Supreme Court’s injunction, the incineration of agricultural waste in the states surrounding Delhi continues-largely lagging behind the pollution levels of the big city each winter.
According to government data, the number of farm fires this season is the highest in the past four years.
At the COP26 Global Climate Summit held this month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that the carbon emission reduction commitments of India and other developing countries will require funding from wealthy and historic emitters.
A 2020 report by the Swiss organization IQAir found that 22 of the 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India, and Delhi is the most polluted capital in the world.
In the same year, The Lancet stated that 1.67 million people died of air pollution in India in 2019, of which nearly 17,500 were in the capital.
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