As Delhi's air quality levels went from bad to worse, the Arvind Kejriwal government, high court, NGT and EPCA went on to issue advisories and blame neighbouring governments over the deteriorating smog situation.
The Delhi government on Tuesday announced that primary schools would be closed on Wednesday while the Indian Medical Association urged all other school administrations to stop outdoor activities, including morning assemblies to protect the health of children.
The national capital's air quality index was in the 'severe' zone, with a score of 448 on a scale of 500 for the second time this year, PTI reported. Earlier, Diwali fireworks had triggered peak pollution levels on 20 October.
People of Delhi commute through the smog on Tuesday. PTI
On Tuesday morning, dense smog hampered visibility at the Delhi airport, affecting flight operations and leading to delays by up to two hours as only one of the three runways could be used. One of the runways was shut for maintenance, while another one faced low visibility issues, Indira Gandhi International Airport authorities said. Around 33 trains were delayed or diverted.
Meanwhile, the Haryana government also decided that the timings of all government aided and unaided private schools will run between 9 am and 3.30 pm till 30 November to avoid early morning pollution when the smog is usually particularly dense. State education minister Ram Bilas Sharma said in an official release that these orders will be applicable with immediate effect.
The Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), which is empowered to enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), also directed the states in the region to start preparing for implementation of measures like 'odd-even' in light of the "crisis situation".
Odd-even was the Delhi government's scheme implemented in 2016 to restrict the number of cars on the road in view of the increase in pollution levels. Under the scheme, vehicles with registration numbers ending at odd and even digits were allowed to ply on Delhi roads on alternate days.
The National Green Tribunal pulled up the governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, asking them why preventive steps were not taken despite knowing well in advance that such a situation was likely to arise.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) member secretary A Sudhakar told PTI the intensity of pollution peaked since last night as moisture-heavy winds from Uttar Pradesh and hot winds carrying emissions from stubble burning from Punjab and Haryana have dealt a double-whammy.
"We are not expecting a dramatic change in the next two-three days. Shallow fog and a complete absence of wind are preventing the dissipation of pollutants at the ground level," Sudhakar said.
The wind speed is currently around 3 metres per second, Sudhakar said, explaining it is inadequate to disperse particulate matter like PM2.5 and PM10.
The Delhi High Court blamed stubble burning as the "main villain" behind the severe level of pollution in Delhi and the neighbouring areas, as it asked the AAP government and the neighbouring states what steps they have taken to address the issue. A bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Sanjeev Sachdeva said October to January was a "critical period" when the air quality in Delhi is poor due to the weather conditions.
Other measures taken
Later, in a meeting to review the status of air quality, the EPCA announced that all measures under the GRAP's severe category will be implemented across the region till further notice. Some of the measures included the quadrupling of parking fees and a cut on metro fares to encourage people to use public transport over their personal vehicles. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) suggested closure of schools and introduction of the odd-even car rationing scheme.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought an appointment with Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan, which was denied as the latter was in Germany to attend a climate change summit.
"The chief minister has sought time from Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan. However, his (Vardhan) office replied that he is not available and is out (of country). A meeting would be possible only on 9 November," the official said.
Union Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma called the smog situation a "matter of concern" and added that the man-made causes needed to be removed to tackle the situation.
He said while the NTPC power plant was closed, directions were issued for spraying water at construction sites and to stop manual mopping. "We have to see that all the measures (against pollution) are taken. But, this has to be a joint effort involving the public and the governments," the minister said.
He added that wind from Punjab, mixed with smoke due to stubble burning, had started entering Delhi due to a change in direction.
With air quality deteriorating, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Tuesday ordered over 15,000 masks for its personnel deployed at IGI Airport, Delhi Metro and other government installations in Delhi and NCR region and said they would be provided prompt medical assistance in case of breathing trouble.
The decision was taken after CISF Director General OP Singh ordered for distribution of masks to all men and women of the paramilitary force while on duty.
"There is a proposal to distribute over 15,000 masks. A total of 8,000 masks are being distributed only in Delhi Metro, 5,000 at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and around 2,500 at other government installations," CISF Spokesperson Hemendra Singh told IANS.
Meanwhile, people rushed to buy masks to protect themselves, even as doctors remained apprehensive about their efficacy.
Asserting that there is not enough data on the efficacy of masks, AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria said, "Masks are not very helpful as a lot of air can get inside from the sides. Also children and elderly find them very uncomfortable to use."
With inputs from agencies
Published Date: Nov 07, 2017 09:04 pm | Updated Date: Nov 07, 2017 10:18 pm
