2023-11-03 21:45:01
Schools were closed this Friday, November 3 in the Indian capital due to the dangerous level of air pollution, materialized by a toxic yellowish fog, in the middle of the Cricket World Cup.
According to Swiss air quality monitoring company IQAir, the level of PM 2.5 particles, the most dangerous, is 35 times higher than the maximum level set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced late Thursday evening that all primary schools would be closed in the capital for at least two days.
“In light of rising pollution levels, all government and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next two days”he announced on X (formerly Twitter).
In light of the rising pollution levels, all govt and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next 2 days
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 2, 2023
Twitter – Arvind Kejriwal on Twitter / X
New Delhi, one of the most polluted cities in the world
New Delhi, one of the largest urban areas on the planet, is consistently ranked among the most polluted cities in the world. Atmospheric pollution reduces the life expectancy of its inhabitants by twelve years.
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The toxic fog, fueled by agricultural burning, industrial emissions and road transport, is stagnating in the megacity of 30 million inhabitants.
The problem peaks in early winter, around the Hindu festival of Diwali, which coincides with the weeks when tens of thousands of farmers in northern India burn rice stubble.
A yellowish fog fell over New Delhi (JEWEL SAMAD / AFP)
The practice is one of the main causes of the pollution that chokes Delhi every year and persists despite efforts by authorities to persuade farmers to use other land clearing methods and threats of punitive measures.
The Indian capital has acquired a “green war room” to combat air pollution. And the authorities regularly announce different plans to reduce pollution, notably by suspending construction work, but without much result.
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A study by “The Lancet”, a British medical journal, published in 2020, attributed 1.67 million deaths, a year earlier, to air pollution in India, including nearly 17,500 in the capital.
India relies heavily on coal for its energy production. The country has seen its per capita emissions increase by 29% over the past seven years and is reluctant to implement policies to phase out polluting fossil fuels.
Cricket World Cup under threat?
India is hosting the Cricket World Cup and organizers have banned fireworks at matches in Mumbai and Delhi to avoid worsening air pollution levels.
Bangladesh were scheduled to face Sri Lanka in Delhi on Monday, but canceled a training session scheduled for Friday due to the infamous « smog »pollution fog, with little chance of the air clearing for their match.
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“Some of us have started coughing, so there is a risk factor”said Khaled Mahmud, director of the Bangladesh team, according to the Indian daily “Business Standard”.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma told reporters on Wednesday that the situation was not “not ideal” for the tournament. ” Everybody knows it “did he declare.
The « smog » is also a major public health problem in neighboring Pakistan, where authorities in the city of Lahore on Thursday ordered schoolchildren to wear masks during classes to alleviate health concerns.
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