Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Delhi’s toxic winter air is back - is the Indian capital prepared for
pollution?
Delhi residents suffer intolerable air pollution each winter, which is caused
by a mixture of trapping weather patterns, regional geography, crop residue burning,
and vehicle and industrial emissions. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI), the
level of fine particulate matter in the air that could clog lungs and cause
diseases, constantly rises beyond poor or even dangerous levels. The Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) promised to improve air quality during last year’s
election campaign, and the Delhi government introduced a Winter Action Plan
that came into effect from the beginning of November until the end of February.
It includes entry curbs and fuel supply restrictions for high-emission vehicles,
work-from-home schedules, and bans on dust-generating construction, demolition,
and material transport. Also, the use of firecrackers during the Hindu festival
of Diwali in early this month is limited to certified less-polluting types and only
on two days. However, it is yet to be seen how much of these measures are
implemented and how much Delhi’s air quality improves. In the meantime, Delhi’s
residents wear masks, cover their faces with cloth, stay indoors as much as
they can, and turn on air purifiers if they can afford them to protect
themselves from the severe pollution season.
Read the article and learn about Delhi’s air pollution season.
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