New Delhi: Smoke emanating from agricultural fires in the neighbouring states has turned Delhi into a virtual gas chamber, which has constrained an expert panel to declare a "public health emergency."
In a knee-jerk response, which is becoming an annual ritual, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered all schools in the Capital to remain shut till November 5 in view of the severe pollution.
The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA), meanwhile, has temporarily banned all construction activities in the Capital.
The panel has further advised people "not to exercise in the open till the pollution level goes down and take special care of children, aged and the vulnerable population.
The panel has also asked schools to have no sports or outdoor activities till November 5, to minimise exposure of children to pollution.The EPCA is a statutory body set up under the Environment Protection Act by the Centre at the behest of the Supreme Court.
It has powers to file criminal complaints in courts, if its directions are flouted.Air pollution peaked in the capital at this time of the year, abetted by the smoke from the burning of straws in agricultural fields in Haryana, UP, Punjab and Rajasthan.
The air quality index reading reached nine times the recommended WHO level on Friday, a level at which people are advised to remain indoor and avoid all outdoor exertions due to the health risks.
A blanket of haze, which has enveloped the city since Tuesday, thickened on Friday morning with the capital's pollution levels surging overnight.
According to the panel, the pollution touched "severe plus" levels early Friday morning, but returned to "severe" category later.
According to official data, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 1 pm on Friday was recorded at 480, which falls in the "severe" category. An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'. Above 500 falls in the 'severe-plus emergency' category.
POLTICAL RESPONSE (NIMISH KUMAR ADDS): The BJP took this as an opportunity to attack the Kejriwal dispensation and BJP MP Vijay Goel sat on a day long fast, blaming the Delhi Government for all these mess; BJP Delhi state Chief MP Manoj Tiwari contributed his mite by distributing masks to school children.
The Delhi government has failed to procure e-buses and install smog-free towers and plant sufficient trees. The odd-even scheme is just a political gimmick and does not have any impact on air quality.
