Air pollution is out of control in the national capital Delhi. AQI beyond 500 has been recorded in many areas of the national capital. Due to this, the people of Delhi have been forced to breathe poisonous air for many days. Politics is also going on regarding Delhi’s air pollution.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday criticized the central government over the severe air pollution in the national capital. Shashi Tharoor said that Delhi is the most polluted city in the world. The situation in Delhi becomes unfit to live from November to January. Even if we talk about the rest of the year, it is hardly possible to stay in Delhi. Shashi Tharoor claimed that it is “unfair” that the government kept looking at the problem of air pollution in Delhi for years, but did not take any appropriate action on it.
Sharing the list of ‘most polluted cities’, Shashi Tharoor wrote on Twitter, “Delhi is officially the world’s most polluted city, 4 times worse than hazardous levels and almost five times worse than the second most polluted city, Dhaka. It is inhumane that our government has been watching this nightmare for years and doing nothing about it.”
Tharoor said, “I have been running air quality roundtables for experts and stakeholders, including parliamentarians, since 2015, but gave it up last year because nothing seemed to be changing and no one cared.” It is not habitable till January and is hardly habitable during the rest of the year. Should it remain the capital of the country?”
Meanwhile, the air quality in the national capital remained in the ‘very poor’ category for the second consecutive day on Tuesday morning as smog blanketed the city, reducing visibility and air pollution worsened to dangerous levels of poor AQI (air quality index) . According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded at 488 at 8 am, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category.
At such high AQI levels, the air is considered hazardous to health, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and persons suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular diseases. Pollution levels continue to remain high, causing thick plumes of toxic foam to float in parts of the Yamuna river near Kalindi Kunj and Okhla Barrage. Amid deteriorating air quality in the national capital, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has decided to hold classes online till November 22, citing severe pollution and dangerous AQI levels in Delhi and NCR.
In Haryana, the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram announced that, as per the instructions of the Director of Secondary Education Haryana and after assessing the air quality index (AQI) situation, all physical classes up to class 12 in Gurugram district will be held from November 19 to 23. Will remain suspended till November or until further notice.
Air quality has deteriorated in many cities, including Mumbai, Delhi and parts of northern India, reaching critical levels and raising concerns about health risks. Amid ‘severe’ pollution in the national capital, the Supreme Court on Monday issued a circular advising litigants and advocates to ensure wearing masks and take health measures in the apex court premises.
