Students, wearing masks to get protection from air-pollution, go to their school by a rickshaw, in New Delhi, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019.
The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority on Friday declared a public health emergency in Delhi-NCR and banned construction activities till November 5. The Supreme Court mandated panel also banned the bursting of crackers during the winter season. "We have to take this as a public health emergency as air pollution will have adverse health impact on all, particularly our children," EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal said in a letter to the chief secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.
The blanket of haze over Delhi thickened on Friday morning with the national capital's pollution levels increasing overnight by around 50 points, taking the overall air quality index to 459. A Central Pollution Control Board official said the AQI entered the "severe plus" or "emergency" category late Thursday night, the first time since January this year.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced closure of schools till November 5, owing to spike in pollution levels due to stubble burning.
According to official data, the overall AQI was 582 at 12.30 am.
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If the air quality persists in the "severe plus" category for more than 48 hours, emergency measures such as odd-even car rationing scheme, banning entry of trucks, construction activities and shutting down schools are taken under the Graded Response Action Plan, the official said. The hazardous pollution levels forced a number of people to miss morning walks and other activities.
Shubhomoy Sikdar, a Delhi-based journalist, said the pollution levels gave him a throat infection and he had to skip his daily sports session.
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