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If you woke up in <keyword id="19900881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="keywords">Delhi</keyword> recently, you might have noticed more than just the nip in the air – a thick, toxic smog has blanketed the city, turning the air almost unbreathable. On Monday, Delhi’s <keyword id="19920379" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-quality-index" source="keywords">Air Quality Index</keyword> (<keyword id="19916482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aqi" source="keywords">AQI</keyword>) hit 481, placing it in the "severe plus" category. For context, the “severe” category begins at an AQI of 401, and anything above 450 poses serious health risks even for healthy individuals. According to Swiss group IQAir’s live rankings, Delhi is currently the most polluted city in the world, with an air quality score of 1,081 – a “hazardous” level that is 130.9 times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit for PM2.5. <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;">Major contributors to Delhi’s smog</h3>The root causes of Delhi’s pollution are manifold: <ul><li>Stubble Burning: On Saturday, crop residue burning contributed 25% of Delhi’s air pollution. By Sunday, this figure had climbed to 40%, according to SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research). Satellites recorded 1,334 stubble-burning incidents in six northern states on Sunday alone, the highest number in four days.</li><li>Vehicles: On Sunday, vehicular emissions accounted for 15.8% of the city’s pollution, according to the Centre’s Decision Support System for Air Quality Management.</li><li>Construction Dust and Industrial Emissions: PM2.5, a deadly pollutant, remains the most prominent factor, capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and leading to severe respiratory and cardiac diseases.</li></ul><h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;"><keyword id="24020184" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GRAP-Stage-4" source="keywords">GRAP Stage 4</keyword></h3>To combat the rising pollution levels, authorities have enforced Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Here’s a breakdown of the restrictions: <ul><li>Vehicle Restrictions:</li><ul><li>Diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles (BS-IV and below) registered in Delhi are banned unless carrying essential goods.</li><li>Non-essential light commercial vehicles from outside Delhi can only enter if they use CNG, BS-VI diesel, or are electric.</li><li>Trucks carrying non-essential items are barred unless they use cleaner fuels like LNG, CNG, or BS-VI diesel. </li></ul><li>Workplace and School Adjustments:</li><ul><li>Classes for students in grades 6 to 9 and class 11 have moved online.</li><li>Offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) are advised to work at 50% capacity, with the rest operating remotely. </li></ul><li>Construction Ban: </li><ul><li>Construction and demolition (C&amp;D) activities have been halted, including large projects like highways, flyovers, and pipelines. </li></ul></ul>Out of Delhi’s 40 monitoring stations, 32 reported AQI levels above 400 on Monday. Visibility in parts of the city dropped to just 100 metres due to the thick smog. The health implications of these numbers are alarming. <keyword id="20118319" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM2-5-levels" source="keywords">PM2.5 levels</keyword> in Delhi were recorded at 130.9 times the safe limit set by the WHO. According to experts, long-term exposure to such air quality could lead to an 11% increase in premature mortality rates due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Studies have shown that Delhi residents may lose an average of 10 years of life expectancy if pollution levels persist. Despite the restrictions, life in Delhi continues under a cloud of smog. Iconic landmarks like India Gate have become barely visible through the haze. While flights and trains are operational, some delays have been reported.

GRAP Stage 4 restrictions take effect as air quality in Delhi deteriorates; PM2.5 levels 130 times higher than WHO limits

Besides creating respiratory issues like asthma, bronchitis, the deteriorating <keyword id="13001" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pollution" source="Orion">pollution</keyword> level in the city is creating a slew of patients with watery eyes, itchy throat, doctors said here. Engulfed in thick toxic smog, the air quality index (AQI) on Friday plummeted to the "severe plus" category in several parts of the national capital. The air turned a dense grey as the AQI hovered around 500 in several parts of Delhi-NCR, which is a staggering 100 times higher than the limit considered healthy by the World Health Organization (WHO). "Of late in the OPD we are seeing almost a 50 per cent increase in the number of patients who are coming with watery eyes. Some also experience burning, itching and irritation in their eyes," Dr Anita Sethi, Director &amp; HOD ophthalmology, Fortis hospital Gurugram, told IANS. "Due to pollution we are getting several cases on a daily basis. As of now, we have 28 beds occupied, with 14 of those being in the ICU, and 2 patients on ventilators. These patients have reported a series of discomforting symptoms, which include itchy throats, burning eyes, and exacerbated allergies, along with congested lungs, added Dr. Ambarish Joshi Senior Pulmonologist, Primus Super Specialty Hospital. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has revealed that pollution levels in <keyword id="66" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="Orion">Delhi</keyword> in October reached their worst since 2020, indicating a critical situation that demands urgent attention. The agency also states that prolonged exposure to <keyword id="55910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="Orion">air pollution</keyword> can cause children to suffer from respiratory diseases. According to the doctors, the elderly, children and those with allergies are more vulnerable these days. Dr Sethi said the dry air of winter and the pollution increases the dryness of the eyes and makes them more sensitive to the particulate matter which is there in the air, causing a lot of burning, irritation and watering in the eyes. "Also, as this is a time of change of seasons so there is more pollen in the air. So those who are a little more prone to allergies are having a real increase in exacerbation of symptoms. "People with pre existing allergies, contact lens wearers, some of the young professionals who have very long hours at the computer and anyway have a little bit of a dry eye syndrome," could have a tough time. Doctors and authorities have urged Delhiites to take the necessary precautions, such as wearing masks and staying indoors whenever possible, to safeguard their health amidst this alarming pollution crisis. "The increasing levels of particulate matter in the air are negatively impacting respiratory health, making it imperative for individuals to remain vigilant and take steps to reduce their exposure to dust and pollutants to safeguard their well-being," Dr. Joshi said. "We urge everyone to wear masks when going outdoors and to avoid any strenuous exercise in open areas, especially those with COPD cases. Please venture outside only if it is absolutely necessary. Additionally, avoiding smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke is strongly advised, as it can exacerbate respiratory issues during times of compromised air quality," he noted. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/hp-omen-16-gaming-laptop-review/articleshow/104945732.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/hp-omen-16-gaming-laptop-review/articleshow/104945732.cms" target="_blank">HP Omen 16 laptop review – A powerful laptop with a fine display</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/india-q3-smartphone-shipments-apple-gains-34-pc-market-share-in-india/articleshow/104907807.cms">Smartphone shipments: Apple gains 34% market share in India as Samsung, Xiaomi decline</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/how-to-use-two-whatsapp-accounts-on-one-phone/articleshow/104641592.cms">How to use two WhatsApp accounts on one phone? A step by step guide</a>

Delhi sees surge in number of people with eye, throat, respiratory issues

Shocking images of India's national capital Delhi breathing toxic air that is equal to smoking 33 cigarettes a day

<ul><li><keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">Air pollution</keyword> in the city has hit the severe plus category with several parts recording a 1,000 above Air Quality Index (AQI).</li><li>Right now, stepping out in the <keyword id="2620149" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-air">Delhi air</keyword> is equal to smoking 33 cigarettes a day.</li><li>A public health emergency has been declared in the national capital.</li></ul>India’s National Capital <keyword id="66" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi">Delhi</keyword> is choking. Air pollution in the city has hit the severe plus category with several parts recording a 1,000 above Air Quality Index (AQI). The Delhi government issued a public health emergency and has requested people to stay indoors as much as possible. Right now, stepping out in the Delhi air is equal to smoking 33 cigarettes a day. The visuals of the city paint a picture of helplessness and despair. <div type="Slideshow" msid="71888247" hostid="261" title="Shocking images of India's national capital Delhi breathing toxic air that is equal to smoking 33 cigarettes a day" firstImageMsid="71888248" slideCount="7"></div>

(Photo Source: wikimedia.org) <ul><li><keyword id="2411223" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution-in-India">Air pollution in India</keyword> has led to more diseases than smoking or tobacco use, reveals a recent study on Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 published in the <keyword id="7101191" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lancet-Planetary-Health-journal">Lancet Planetary Health journal</keyword>. </li><li>India covers 18% of the global population, which accounts to significantly higher (26%) global premature deaths caused by air pollution, in contrast. </li><li>One in every eight deaths in India is a result of air pollution. In fact, if India had not been under serious threat of worsening air pollution levels, the average life expectancy of its citizens would have been 1.7 years more. </li></ul>Amid the alarming air pollution levels in India, a recent study on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542519618302614?via%3Dihub">Global Burden of Disease Study 2017</a> in the Lancet Planetary Health journal reveals that air pollution has caused more diseases than the ones caused due to tobacco use or smoking, accounting for over 1.24 million deaths in India in 2017. The study said, on Thursday, Delhi witnessed the highest exposure to PM 2.5, tiny particles that are most harmful, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Major sources of ambient particulate matter pollution in India include burning in thermal power plants, industry emissions, stubble burning and diesel generators. The annual exposure to these tiny particles PM2.5 in India, was 89·9 μg/m3, which was recorded to be the highest in the world. One in every eight deaths in India resulted from air pollution. In fact, if India had not been under serious threat of worsening air pollution levels, the average life expectancy would have been 1.7 years more for its residents, added the study India covers 18% of the global population, which accounts to significantly higher (26%) global premature deaths caused by air pollution, in contrast, it pointed out. Notably, 14 out of 15 most air polluted cities in the world are in India, says a World Health Organisation (WHO) database. It also said that Mexico and Beijing could instruct New Delhi and other Indian cities with ways to combat air pollution as they are aggressively making efforts to counter the situation with cleaner energy options, improved technologies, and promoting the use of public transport. Despite the current situation of increasing air pollution, 77% of India's population spends time outdoors, which is above the National Ambient Air Quality (NAAQ) safe limit. Not just this, 56% of population still used solid fuels in households, in 2017. The study also argued that the reduction in pollution levels has a broader impact than just the well-being of humans, including animal and plant health. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/indias-top-environmental-tribunal-has-ordered-the-delhi-government-to-pay-250-million-to-the-national-pollution-control-agency-so-it-can-tackle-the-citys-air-problem/articleshow/66936048.cms">India’s top environmental tribunal has ordered the Delhi government to pay ₹250 million to the national pollution control agency so it can tackle the city’s air problem</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/fed-up-of-pollution-more-than-35-of-residents-in-indias-capital-say-they-want-to-move-out-permanently-survey/articleshow/66630699.cms">Fed up of pollution, more than 35% of residents in India’s capital say they want to move out permanently: Survey</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-clean-air-week-crackdown-resulted-in-the-collection-8-3-million-in-fines/articleshow/66525293.cms">India’s ‘Clean Air Week’ crackdown resulted in the collection ₹8.3 million in fines</a>

India’s toxic smog lead to over 1.24 million deaths in 2017, says study

With New Delhi <a href="https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3036505/delhi-air-pollution-driving-tourists-away-and-spurring" class="link-text">engulfed in toxic smog</a>, a new establishment offering people a breath of fresh air is proving popular in the Indian capital.Over the past fortnight, the city has seen a public health crisis, with authorities twice declaring a pollution emergency and shutting schools while advising the elderly and infants to stay indoors. Concentrations of the most harmful airborne pollutants in the a city of 25 million are regularly about 20 times the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/topics/world-health-organisation" class="link-text">World Health Organisation</a> safe limit as industrial pollution and vehicle exhaust fumes – combined with smoke from crop stubble burning – cast a toxic pall over the metropolis. But at Oxy Pure customers can inhale 80-90 per cent pure oxygen infused with essential oils such as peppermint, cinnamon, lavender and lemongrass for 299 rupees (US$4.17) per 15-minute session. Nishika Waghela, 33, breathes in oxygen mixed with different scents at Oxy Pure. Photo: Reuters The <keyword id="1853846" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="oxygen-bar">oxygen bar</keyword> was launched in May by Aryavir Kumar and Margarita Kuritsyana, and supplies its scented air through lightweight tubes placed under the customers’ nostrils. Kumar said he gets between 30 and 40 customers per day, as well as providing “portable cans” of air that they can carry around with them. Some of those who have tried it after suffering the ill effects of pollution – itchy eyes, runny noses and throat infections – say they were unsure if the therapy had a psychological effect, but it did make them feel refreshed. A motorcyclist passes a worker sweeping a road shrouded in <keyword id="68139" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Smog">smog</keyword> in New Delhi. Photo: Bloomberg Others were less sure, however, with several taking to social media to criticise the very concept behind the bar and one declaring that Delhi “has officially gone mad”. Doctors say taking oxygen for a short while, even in high concentrations, has no benefit, and breathing extremely high levels can actually be harmful, including causing lung damage. Several Delhi residents, like Kapil Gulliya, who works with a financial services firm, described the oxygen bar as a gimmick, misusing the alarm over pollution for commercial purposes. “What use is 15 minutes of oxygen when pollution is many times the <keyword id="6356001" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="international">international</keyword> safe limits here, equal to smoking 30 cigarettes a day?” Last week, <a href="https://www.scmp.com/topics/india" class="link-text">India</a>’s Supreme Court criticised the government for making “little constructive efforts” to curb pollution. The court has ordered a new clampdown on stubble burning on farms surrounding the capital.Bonny Irengbam, a senior sales assistant at Oxy Pure, told The Indian Express newspaper that “some people, who try it for the first time, will feel relaxed and fresh. But only people who undergo the sessions regularly will get real benefits of the aroma.” Irengbam said he does not encourage back-to-back sessions and advises his customers to stick with one 15-minute session per day. “I was passing by and saw that they were offering pure oxygen. I thought I’ll give it a try and went for the lemongrass flavour. It was refreshing,” Manjul Mehta, an Oxy Pure customer, told the daily. Oxy Pure is located in an upscale mall in the south of Delhi, with a second outlet expected to be launched by next month at Delhi’s main airport, according to Irengbam.

In smog-choked New Delhi, enterprising oxygen bar soothes residents’ lungs – for a price

<ul><li>On Sunday (November 3), <keyword id="2578389" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="AQI">AQI</keyword> levels went beyond 1000 in multiple places in Delhi. </li><li><keyword id="6369698" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="corporates">Corporates</keyword> in Delhi have been facilitating work from home as well as providing flexible timings to help employees stay indoors.</li><li>Many have also installed advanced level air purifiers to control air quality inside office premises.</li></ul>Delhi’s severe <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> levels has everyone worried. Schools are shut, odd even scheme is announced, and masks are selling like hotcakes. On Sunday (November 3), AQI levels went beyond 1000, and just then, Monday blues for professionals took a serious turn. But corporates too have taken steps to protect their employees from Delhi’s toxic air Work from home Almost all major companies urged their employees to work from home and stay indoors. Companies like H&amp;M, Coca Cola, KFC and offered flexible work timings as well as work-from-home option. H&amp;M India <a href="https://www.latestly.com/india/news/delhi-air-pollution-hm-kfc-coca-cola-others-allow-employees-flexible-timings-work-from-home-options-1315079.html">reportedly</a> gave its employees the flexible timing option till November 15. Securing the workplace Many companies are securing their workplaces, making way for a sustainable approach. <keyword id="51757" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="TIMES-INTERNET">Times Internet</keyword> in its Delhi offices of Noida and Gurugram installed “electrostatic precipitators/chemical filters in the centralized air conditioning plant”. This ensures that the air quality inside the office premises ranges between good and satisfactory levels. Startups like <keyword id="44033" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="hike">Hike</keyword> too installed the same in 2016. Hike’s advanced Oxidation system based on Ionized Hydro Peroxides. “The system is based on Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) i.e., Hydrogen Peroxide to reduce microbial contamination and gaseous contamination . Hydro-Peroxides are very effective at destroying harmful microbial in the air and on the surfaces.It does not require the pollutants to travel to the unit for treatment or filtration. These oxidizers produced are friendly which means that revert back to oxygen and H2O after the oxidation of the pollutant,” explained the company. With this, the average AQI at Hike has been at 89 throughout October. <div type="image" title="AQI Level at Hike - 6th November 2019" msid="71940067" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;AQI Level at Hike - 6th November 2019&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

AQI level at Hike on November 6, 2019 No surge pricing Ride-hailing companies Ola and Uber both announced that they would cancel surge pricing as the Indian capital suffered. Uber started a campaign called #Leaveyourcarbehind, to promote shared mobility. Meanwhile, Ola announced that there will be no peak pricing on rides during the period of the odd-even scheme which is between November 4-15. “The implementation of the odd-even scheme offers an opportunity to further unlock the potential of shared mobility. We are ensuring that all our services across cabs, autos, bikes and shared cabs, will be available to serve citizens,” said Arun Srinivas, chief sales and marketing officer at Ola.

Delhi’s corporates are allowing work from home, installing air purifiers, to save their employees from pollution

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="9824392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hurricane-Laura">Hurricane Laura</keyword> devastated the city of Lake Charles, <keyword id="60111" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Louisiana">Louisiana</keyword>, and led nearby chemical plants and refineries to release harmful emissions.</li><li>The hurricane also knocked out the area's air-quality monitors, making it hard to know how dangerous the air is.</li><li>Chemical <keyword id="13001" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="pollution">pollution</keyword> has plagued Lake Charles residents for decades. </li></ul>Breon Robinson has lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana, nearly all of her life. She fled the area last week ahead of Hurricane Laura. When the storm hit, it devastated Robinson's neighborhood — a predominantly Black area on the city's north side. Fierce winds ripped streetlamps from concrete, tore roofs off homes, and ignited a fire at a chlorine plant in nearby Westlake, a small city west of Lake Charles.That fire led the plant to spew <a href="https://apnews.com/d7035c6d34e78ace39dac413c85f5130">enormous quantities of reddish-brown smog</a>, which contained unknown quantities of skin-blistering chlorine gas, for more than two days until it was <a href="https://www.nola.com/news/environment/article_6227ac8a-ebbc-11ea-92f2-67f719ac6c7c.html">extinguished on Saturday</a>. Residents living nearby were ordered to shelter in place on Thursday and Friday. "They had to go back into homes with no water, no electricity," Robinson, a 22-year-old activist and wellness blogger, told Insider. She added that many Lake Charles locals think the chlorine plant wasn't the only chemical facility that Hurricane Laura damaged.Several of Robinson's neighbors work at one of the many <a href="http://www.dnr.louisiana.gov/assets/images/oilgas/refineries/LA_Other_Facilities_rev031808.jpg">other oil refineries</a> and <a href="http://www.lca.org/membership/members-by-parish/">chemical plants</a> nearby. But the extent of damage to that and other plants is still unclear, according to Greg Langley, a spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). The hurricane left the roads to many such plants inaccessible."We're still doing our assessment. It's hard to get into some of those places," Langley said. To make matters worse, there's no way to tell whether any of those other plants are emitting toxic chemicals, or how much, because power outages knocked out the region's electrically powered air monitors, <a href="https://apnews.com/d7035c6d34e78ace39dac413c85f5130">according to the Associated Press</a>.<h2>No electricity for air monitors</h2>Because of the air-monitor outages around Lake Charles, the EPA temporarily monitored emissions from the chlorine plant using its own equipment aboard an aircraft. The agency detected several chemicals in the air, but the concentrations did not reach concerning levels. Langley said the LDEQ plans to deploy mobile air-monitoring labs to the Lake Charles area by Wednesday, but he doesn't yet know when the other air monitors will come back online. That depends on power returning to the Lake Charles area. "The equipment itself is fine," he said. "As soon as we get electricity, we'll restart those."Even in a best-case scenario — one in which the hurricane didn't damage any oil refineries or petrochemical plants — simply shutting them down and restarting them could produce millions of extra pounds of chemicals like butene and carbon monoxide, <a href="https://grist.org/climate/even-shut-down-texas-oil-refineries-in-hurricane-lauras-path-will-emit-nearly-4-million-pounds-of-pollution/">according to Grist</a>.But without proper monitoring, nobody knows whether the air is safe to breathe. <h2>Lake Charles has suffered from pollution for decades</h2>The chemicals that residents could be breathing from the chlorine plant, along with potential emissions from oil and petrochemical refineries, include vinyl chloride, benzene, and dioxins. All three increase cancer risk.Dioxin is a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dioxin/learn-about-dioxin">chemical byproduct of chlorine manufacturing</a>, among other processes, and was one of the chemicals in Agent Orange. It can cause reproductive issues and damage the immune system. Benzene exposure can cause vomiting and tremors, and it can damage the immune system as well. Vinyl chloride, meanwhile, can lead to liver damage if a person is exposed over a long period of time.Breathing high levels of chlorine can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, a condition known as pulmonary edema that can be fatal. The last week is not first time the greater Lake Charles area has contended with toxic chemical emissions. In 1998, the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry found that the average resident of Mossville, a predominantly Black community in Westlake, had <a href="https://theintercept.com/2015/11/04/erasing-mossville-how-pollution-killed-a-louisiana-town/">triple the normal levels of dioxin</a> in their blood. Most of Mossville's residents left about a decade ago, after petrochemical company SASOL offered them a buyout. But residents of that community and nearby neighborhoods, including Robinson's, still complain of increased rates of cancer and other ailments, including heart disease. She compared the area to a stretch of land along the Mississippi river near New Orleans, which is full of industrial plants. Its residents — also mostly Black — suffer from above-average cancer rates, which earned the region the nickname "Cancer Alley.""I would say we're pretty much close to that, because of how close these plants are to people's homes, communities, churches," Robinson said.<a href="https://www.epa.gov/national-air-toxics-assessment/2014-national-air-toxics-assessment">According to the EPA</a>, several communities in Louisiana face some of the highest cancer risk in the nation, at least in part because the state is a hub for petrochemical and petroleum manufacturing. Residents of Calcasieu Parish, where Mossville and Lake Charles are located, don't have higher rates of cancer than the Louisiana average, according to <a href="https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/pha/CalcasieuCancer/CalcasieuCancerHC92707.pdf">a recent assessment</a>. But that report did find that residents of the parish had elevated levels of specific types of cancers linked to chemical exposure, including colon, lung, and bladder cancer.Robinson said people in her neighborhood also worry about water and ground contamination. What's more, she and other residents live next to a junkyard, so have to watch out for scrap metal in the roads."We have kids who want to play in the streets like a normal kid," she said. "But we have to be cautious."

Toxic chemicals have spilled into the air in Louisiana due to Hurricane Laura — but air monitors died, making the danger unmeasurable

<ul><li>New <keyword id="66" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi">Delhi</keyword> and <keyword id="1333" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Beijing">Beijing</keyword> used to be on the same level as far as their pollution levels were concerned. </li><li>But while Beijing has made strides in its fight to combat pollution, Delhi’s air quality continues to deteriorate. </li><li>China has been using a string of conventional measures, which can be also be adopted in India. </li></ul> Until 2013, New Delhi and Beijing were at par in terms if their <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> levels. The Chinese capital was blanketed by pollution in 2012, with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/27/more-than-million-died-due-air-pollution-china-one-year">1 million people killed </a>by a record-breaking <a href="https://www.economist.com/analects/2013/01/14/blackest-day">air quality index of 755</a> , while Delhi had 153 annual concentration of PM 2.5. But while the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution-beijing-insight/beijing-may-be-starting-to-win-its-battle-against-smog-idUSKBN1EN0ZJ">Chinese government has been able to successfully curtail the problem</a> in recent years,reporting a fall of 35% in air pollution levels in 2017, India’s capital region continues to choke due to <keyword id="68139" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Smog">smog</keyword> and air pollution. Here are some lessons that New Delhi can learn from Beijing in its bid to tackle air pollution: Introducing an emergency action plan The first step taken by the Chinese government was to introduce the ‘Action Plan on Prevention and Control of Air Pollution’ in 2013. The government policy aimed at identifying major polluted regions and making it a priority to tackle pollution in those regions. The approach included setting a target to bring down pollution to a certain level in the regions of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. The recently <a href="http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2018-07/03/content_5303158.htm">revised policy of 2018</a> has more plans of similar nature. In contrast, the Indian government’s efforts, including <a href="http://cpcb.nic.in/uploads/final_graded_table.pdf">the Graded Response Action Plan and odd-even scheme</a>, have been unable to solve the problem. A stricter three-year policy similar to China might help India in implementing norms against pollution. Curbing coal consumption After setting up a target to reduce coal consumption by 18 million tonnes by 2020, Beijing substituted its four major coal-fire stations with natural gas plants to promote <keyword id="34553" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy">renewable energy</keyword>. It also imposed stricter norms on industries emitting toxic gases which contribute to pollution. <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/under-pollution-alert-beijing-orders-1-200-factories-to-shut-1638833">Beijing either shut down 1200 polluting factories in 2016</a>. Meanwhile, coal consumption in India continues to rise. Further, a recent media <a href="https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/woodmac-expects-india-to-miss-2022-renewables-target#gs.ACPPdZk">report</a> revealed that the Indian coal industry has had to import 164 million tons of coal in 2018 to maintain the demand in the country. Use of mist cannons to purify air <a href="https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/china-is-bombing-its-air-pollution-with-water-mist-cannons-and-it-s-surprisingly-effective-248668.html">Mist cannons</a> are an effective way to mitigate the risk of respiratory and lung problems. The dust-controlling machine releases small particles into the air, which forces air pollutants and dust to fall down to the earth in a form similar to rain drops. This technology was initially developed to swipe away dust in the steel, coal and cement industries. Chinese authorities have been using mist cannons in their <a href="https://qz.com/572954/chinese-cities-are-using-this-mist-cannon-to-shoot-pollution-from-the-sky/">‘red-zones’ to fight pollution and it has worked well.</a> India can take a page out of this book. Promoting clean-energy public transport Around 1,350 public buses, which run on clean energy, have been introduced in China over the past three years. The country has also prohibited vehicles that cause air pollution from entering Beijing. China is also focusing on boosting atomic energy and renewable energy resources. Meanwhile, vehicular pollution in itself constitutes one-third of the total pollution in the National Capital Region, and India has no such measures in place.

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GRAP Stage 4 restrictions take effect as air quality in Delhi deteriorates; PM2.5 levels 130 times higher than WHO limits

BI India Bureau

Delhi sees surge in number of people with eye, throat, respiratory issues

IANS

Shocking images of India's national capital Delhi breathing toxic air that is equal to smoking 33 cigarettes a day

Shocking images of India's national capital Delhi breathing toxic air that is equal to smoking 33 cigarettes a day

Sanchita Dash

India’s toxic smog lead to over 1.24 million deaths in 2017, says study

BI India Bureau

In smog-choked New Delhi, enterprising oxygen bar soothes residents’ lungs – for a price

SCMP

Delhi’s corporates are allowing work from home, installing air purifiers, to save their employees from pollution

Sanchita Dash

Toxic chemicals have spilled into the air in Louisiana due to Hurricane Laura — but air monitors died, making the danger unmeasurable

Susie Neilson

Here are the lessons New Delhi can learn from Beijing to battle its crazy pollution problem

BI India Bureau

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