Delhi smog: NGT slams AAP Government, report to be submitted tomorrow

Kejriwal also appealed to people to remain indoors as much as possible and said the odd-even transport system may make a comeback.

New Delhi has also ordered the temporary closure of a nearby coal-burning power plant, as well as construction and demolition sites blamed for sending huge plumes of fine dust particles into the air.

He said, around 80 percent of the problem is due to local factors, and only 20 percent is due to neighboring states. People are dying out of air pollution and you are doing nothing. “This will help control pollution to an extent”, R.K. Khurana, Assistant Engineer, PWD told ANI. “Unless things improve over the next week or so, we might see harsher measures”.

Though many HR professionals said they have installed air purifiers across their office and have advised their staff to use face mask, the severity of air pollution has certainly impaired performance through changes in respiratory, cardiovascular, and cognitive function. He said the state government was keeping a strict vigil over the entire situation and none would be allowed to take law into their own hands.

It also suffers from atmospheric dust and pollution from open fires lit by the urban poor to keep warm in winter or to cook food.

New Delhi, one of the world’s most-polluted cities, saw levels of PM2.5 tiny particulate matter that can clog lungs soar to over 900 micrograms per cubic metre on Saturday. The Supreme Court will hear a plea tomorrow on the current pollution crisis in Delhi. “But we should keep in mind that such measures are only aimed at bringing the peak levels down”, Roy Chowdhury said. “People are talking about taking drastic measures, talking about leaving Delhi”. In South Asia, air pollution costs the equivalent of 7.4 percent of regional gross domestic product.

Meanwhile, the Centre has called a meeting of Environment Ministers of all neighbouring States on Monday to curb stubble burning by farmers which has made Delhi a “gas chamber”.

Moreover, it warned that the phenomenon is likely to hurt Brand India and impact the country’s tourism.

New Delhi’s streets were shrouded in a heavy gray haze of smoke, ash and other pollutants, and residents complained of breathlessness, watering of eyes, aggravated coughs and wheezing.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s (DPCC) real-time readings displayed a downward trend cutting across its monitoring stations.

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