Schools in the Indian capital New Delhi are closed due to enormous air pollution. Classes will take place online until further notice, Prime Minister Atishi said on Sunday evening. There are therefore exceptions for grades ten to twelve.
Indian authorities hope that traffic will decrease significantly if most students stay at home. Primary schools in New Delhi were closed on Thursday. A number of other measures were imposed on Monday, including restrictions on diesel trucks and construction work.
Particulate pollution 57 times higher than the WHO limit
New Delhi is currently struggling with severe air pollution. On Sunday evening, particulate matter pollution was 57 times higher than the daily upper limit of the World Health Organization (WHO). On Monday morning the value was exceeded 39 times. Fine dust particles in the PM2.5 category are so small that they can penetrate the human bloodstream and deep into the lungs.
Every winter in the Indian capital region, the cool air, the smoke from the fields that farmers burn after the harvest and the exhaust fumes from industry and traffic mix into a cocktail that is harmful to health. New Delhi is often ranked as one of the most polluted cities in the world. Experts blame air pollution for thousands of premature deaths in New Delhi and surrounding areas.
Smog levels in Lahore are decreasing
However, there has been improvement in neighboring Pakistan: for the first time in two weeks, smog levels in the metropolis of Lahore have fallen below the “dangerous” threshold. On Sunday, the air quality index, which measures a range of pollutants, reached 243, according to authorities, making the air “very unhealthy”. However, particulate pollution was still more than ten times higher than the recommended limit value of the World Health Organization (WHO). On Thursday, the city of 14 million inhabitants set a negative record with an air quality value of 1,110.
The neighboring state of Punjab has also been suffering from enormous smog for weeks and closed schools in all major cities at the beginning of this month. The closure was extended by a week on Friday. Outdoor sports in school have been banned until January and the movement of three-wheeled motor rickshaws has been restricted. In addition to exhaust fumes, the burning of harvested fields in particular contributes annually to air pollution in the region.
Source: Krone
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