A sandstone quarry near the village of Sirohi, on the outskirts of New Delhi, is a reminder that it's not just fireworks and crop burning that are causing the capital's pollution problems.

The site was previously part of the Aravalli mountain range, that stretches nearly 700 km (435 miles) through northern and western India.

That was until hundreds of workers hollowed out one of its hills, mining for rocks and sand for construction.

It is the same in many other parts of the Aravallis, which used to protect Delhi from dust rolling in from the nearby Thar Desert.

Beginning in October, stubble farmland around Delhi, along with vehicle and industrial emissions, and the lighting of firecrackers during Diwali combine to create a toxic haze that can hang over the city for months.

Environmental experts say the dust blowing in from surrounding areas, which are becoming increasingly arid due to rising temperatures and shrinking forests, also plays a role in Delhi's pollution woes.

In May and June, the capital was hit by huge dust storms that forced residents indoors and cancelled flights, worrying authorities in a period that was outside the main "pollution season" between October and December.

"Mines are making forests shrink, and the mountains used to block sand from other areas,” said Kailash Bidhuri, founder of Save Aravalli, an environmental group attempting to stop the mining of the hills around Delhi.

"What you see now is the result."

The fast disappearance of the hills has also started to worry the Supreme Court.

In a long-running case brought by environmental activists against several defendants, the court recently heard evidence from the government's Forest Survey of India, which said it conducted a study of 128 hills and found that nearly a quarter of them had disappeared.

The court said last month rampant mining was making Delhi’s already-toxic air even worse, and ordered an immediate halt to illegal mining in one small section of the range.

But it's doubtful the limited ban will have much impact.

SURGE OF SILICOSIS

Similar bans over the years have been ignored.

Government studies of mining areas in the Aravallis have found significant increases in cases of asthma and silicosis, an incurable respiratory infection caused by the dust the mines kick up.

Compounding the problem, at many mining sites, workers dig below the permitted levels, polluting water supplies, Bidhuri said.

"There were rules and protocols that were not followed," Bidhuri said.

The hill at Sirohi has been dug out, broken up and hauled away, and the mine bosses have moved on to begin again on another hill.

Left behind are villagers who miss the old days, despite the health dangers, both for them and for Delhi`s residents.

Irshad Zakir Khan said he has worked at the site from when he was a boy - under-age according to the law - until the hill was mined out in 2009.

He was paid about 6,000 rupees ($80) a month to haul rocks to a nearby processing plant where they were crushed, with a bonus for each trip he completed.

"Since the mines shut we've lost earnings,” said Zakir Khan, as he perched on his motorbike with a group of three friends standing by, nodding in agreement.

"We hope that one day these sites go live again so we can earn."

A sandstone quarry near the village of Sirohi, on the outskirts of New Delhi, is a reminder that it's not just fireworks and crop burning that are causing the capital's pollution problems.

A sandstone quarry near the village of Sirohi, on the outskirts of New Delhi, is a reminder that it's not just fireworks and crop burning that are causing the capital's pollution problems. The site was previously part of the Aravalli mountain range, that stretches nearly 700 km (435 miles) through northern and western India. That was until hundreds of workers hollowed out one of its hills, mining for rocks and sand for construction. It is the same in many other parts of the Aravallis, which used to protect Delhi from dust rolling in from the nearby Thar Desert. Beginning in October, stubble farmland around Delhi, along with vehicle and industrial emissions, and the lighting of firecrackers during Diwali combine to create a toxic haze that can hang over the city for months. Environmental experts say the dust blowing in from surrounding areas, which are becoming increasingly arid due to rising temperatures and shrinking forests, also plays a role in Delhi's pollution woes. In May and June, the capital was hit by huge dust storms that forced residents indoors and cancelled flights, worrying authorities in a period that was outside the main "pollution season" between October and December. "Mines are making forests shrink, and the mountains used to block sand from other areas,” said Kailash Bidhuri, founder of Save Aravalli, an environmental group attempting to stop the mining of the hills around Delhi. "What you see now is the result." The fast disappearance of the hills has also started to worry the Supreme Court. In a long-running case brought by environmental activists against several defendants, the court recently heard evidence from the government's Forest Survey of India, which said it conducted a study of 128 hills and found that nearly a quarter of them had disappeared. The court said last month rampant mining was making Delhi’s already-toxic air even worse, and ordered an immediate halt to illegal mining in one small section of the range. But it's doubtful the limited ban will have much impact. SURGE OF SILICOSIS Similar bans over the years have been ignored. Government studies of mining areas in the Aravallis have found significant increases in cases of asthma and silicosis, an incurable respiratory infection caused by the dust the mines kick up. Compounding the problem, at many mining sites, workers dig below the permitted levels, polluting water supplies, Bidhuri said. "There were rules and protocols that were not followed," Bidhuri said. The hill at Sirohi has been dug out, broken up and hauled away, and the mine bosses have moved on to begin again on another hill. Left behind are villagers who miss the old days, despite the health dangers, both for them and for Delhi`s residents. Irshad Zakir Khan said he has worked at the site from when he was a boy - under-age according to the law - until the hill was mined out in 2009. He was paid about 6,000 rupees ($80) a month to haul rocks to a nearby processing plant where they were crushed, with a bonus for each trip he completed. "Since the mines shut we've lost earnings,” said Zakir Khan, as he perched on his motorbike with a group of three friends standing by, nodding in agreement. "We hope that one day these sites go live again so we can earn."

Miners gouge Aravalli hills ending protection, compounding pollution in Delhi

People residing in the national capital breathed easy on Wednesday after the air quality showed slight improvement due to increased wind speed and requisite control measures undertaken by the government.

The overall Air Quality Index of Delhi at 8:30 am was recorded at 320, which falls under the 'very poor' category, said System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 is marked as severe/hazardous.

At Dhirpur, the AQI was 328 at 8:30 am, while in Mathura Road area it dipped to 'very poor' category at 375. Furthermore, AQI near Pitampura, Airport, Terminal 3 and Delhi University stood at 346, 353 and 365, respectively.

The haze will continue to persist during the early morning and late evenings for the next three days.

"The new trend in Delhi to disperse pollutants much faster from one extreme as compared to last year (has been) witnessed in this winter, which means that accumulated pollutants are getting more free path than earlier. It implies that local air is relatively transparent with less suspended dust and fossil fuel mass, which may be an indicator of positive control measures," SAFAR added.

The Centre-run Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), had issued a notification predicting that there will be a depletion of air quality post Diwali period from (November 8 to November 10) due to the low dispersion and winds from the northwest part of India, which will result in increase emission levels in and around Delhi and National Capital Region.

In order to combat the rising air pollution crisis, former Indian Medical Association (IMA) president KK Aggarwal on Tuesday suggested that people must avoid burning of candles and any other products which produce smoke and keeps medicine handy if suffering from Asthma, diabetes and any other respiratory diseases.

Aggrawal further noted that usage of green crackers as recommended by the Supreme Court can help decrease air pollution, but cannot eradicate.

"Green cracker is a cracker. By using these sought of crackers you can only reduce the effects of pollution but cannot eradicate air pollution. At present, we need total elimination of the harmful effects of air pollution," he added.

Increasing toxicity in the air across India had promoted the top court to come up with immediate measures to curb the menace. On October 31, the division bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri, fixed the time hours from 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali for burning crackers and also issued guidelines on the majority of the aspect of the festival.

From partially banning fireworks to set the time limit on the bursting of crackers, the court has issued guidelines on almost every aspect of the festival. The decision from the court came on a clutch of petitions on the behalf of three minors seeking a ban on the sale of firecrackers and manufacturing in an attempt to protect their health.

People residing in the national capital breathed easy on Wednesday after the air quality showed slight improvement due to increased wind speed and requisite control measures undertaken by the government.

People residing in the national capital breathed easy on Wednesday after the air quality showed slight improvement due to increased wind speed and requisite control measures undertaken by the government. The overall Air Quality Index of Delhi at 8:30 am was recorded at 320, which falls under the 'very poor' category, said System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 is marked as severe/hazardous. At Dhirpur, the AQI was 328 at 8:30 am, while in Mathura Road area it dipped to 'very poor' category at 375. Furthermore, AQI near Pitampura, Airport, Terminal 3 and Delhi University stood at 346, 353 and 365, respectively. The haze will continue to persist during the early morning and late evenings for the next three days. "The new trend in Delhi to disperse pollutants much faster from one extreme as compared to last year (has been) witnessed in this winter, which means that accumulated pollutants are getting more free path than earlier. It implies that local air is relatively transparent with less suspended dust and fossil fuel mass, which may be an indicator of positive control measures," SAFAR added. The Centre-run Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), had issued a notification predicting that there will be a depletion of air quality post Diwali period from (November 8 to November 10) due to the low dispersion and winds from the northwest part of India, which will result in increase emission levels in and around Delhi and National Capital Region. In order to combat the rising air pollution crisis, former Indian Medical Association (IMA) president KK Aggarwal on Tuesday suggested that people must avoid burning of candles and any other products which produce smoke and keeps medicine handy if suffering from Asthma, diabetes and any other respiratory diseases. Aggrawal further noted that usage of green crackers as recommended by the Supreme Court can help decrease air pollution, but cannot eradicate. "Green cracker is a cracker. By using these sought of crackers you can only reduce the effects of pollution but cannot eradicate air pollution. At present, we need total elimination of the harmful effects of air pollution," he added. Increasing toxicity in the air across India had promoted the top court to come up with immediate measures to curb the menace. On October 31, the division bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri, fixed the time hours from 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali for burning crackers and also issued guidelines on the majority of the aspect of the festival. From partially banning fireworks to set the time limit on the bursting of crackers, the court has issued guidelines on almost every aspect of the festival. The decision from the court came on a clutch of petitions on the behalf of three minors seeking a ban on the sale of firecrackers and manufacturing in an attempt to protect their health.

Delhi's air quality marginally improves, likely to worsen post Diwali

After a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhiites-breathe-easy-as-air-quality-improves-authorities-warn-deterioration-from-monday-175523">relatively clean Sunday</a>, air pollution in Delhi rose sharply on Monday with the AQI at least one spot being recorded at over 900.&nbsp;

The air quality index at Anand Vihar was recorded at 912 at 10 am on Monday. (Anything above 300 falls in the "hazardous" category).&nbsp;

<img alt="Delhi AQI" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a918f5d-daa1-4014-abce-eb56d4d9646b" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/aqi.JPG" />

(Delhi's AQI levels on Monday morning.)

The AQI at ITI Shahdra meanwhile was recorded at 879 and in South Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 604.&nbsp;

The dip in air quality had been foretold by Delhi officials.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/air-pollution-it-is-time-for-resolute-action-175228">It's time for resolute action on air pollution</a>

The overall air quality index (AQI) on Sunday was recorded at 181, which falls in the "moderate" category. On Sunday morning it was 231, which falls in the "poor" category, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data had said.

The improvement in air quality can be attributed to the increase in surface wind speed to five kmph. This flushed out pollutants, an official of the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) had said.

The reduction in base emission is also suggestive of a more pronounced effect of control measures taken by authorities, the official said.&nbsp;

SAFAR also said there is a large possibility of an increase in moisture from Monday evening, which might lead to an increase in the pollution level.

Delhi authorities meanwhile have stepped up efforts to combat pollution which includes measures like halting construction activities and regulating traffic.

There is a halt on all construction activities involving excavation. Civil construction has also been suspended in Delhi and other NCR districts, besides closure of all stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust pollution.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also directed the Transport Department and the Traffic Police to intensify checking of polluting vehicles and control travel congestion in the region during November 1-10.

An aggressive 10-day-long 'Clean Air Campaign' from November 1 to 10 has also been launched to monitor and report polluting activities as well as to ensure quick action.

Based on 368 complaints, a total fine of Rs 83,55,000 was imposed on Sunday itself by 52 teams in the national capital, said the CPCB.

It said a total of 119 complaints of construction and demolition activities were received.

Other complaints included that of vehicular emission, traffic congestion, industrial emission, open or garbage burning, leaf burning, road dust, unpaved road, fire in landfill sites, air pollution from generators among others, the CPCB said.

It said a total of 52 complaints were received through social media and e-mail while 316 complaints through the 'Sameer app' that has been developed by the CPCB.

Officials said about 43 teams attended to 248 complaints in Delhi. Two teams attended to 11 complaints in Gurgaon, two teams to 31 complaints in Faridabad and two teams to five complaints in Noida and Greater Noida. Three teams attended 21 complaints in Ghaziabad.

On Friday and Saturday, a total penalty of Rs 80 lakh was imposed on violators.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

After a relatively clean Sunday, air pollution in Delhi rose sharply on Monday with the AQI at least one spot being recorded at over 900. The air quality index at Anand Vihar was recorded at 912 at 10 am on Monday.

After a relatively clean Sunday, air pollution in Delhi rose sharply on Monday with the AQI at least one spot being recorded at over 900. The air quality index at Anand Vihar was recorded at 912 at 10 am on Monday. (Anything above 300 falls in the "hazardous" category). (Delhi's AQI levels on Monday morning.) The AQI at ITI Shahdra meanwhile was recorded at 879 and in South Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 604. The dip in air quality had been foretold by Delhi officials. Also read: It's time for resolute action on air pollution The overall air quality index (AQI) on Sunday was recorded at 181, which falls in the "moderate" category. On Sunday morning it was 231, which falls in the "poor" category, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data had said. The improvement in air quality can be attributed to the increase in surface wind speed to five kmph. This flushed out pollutants, an official of the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) had said. The reduction in base emission is also suggestive of a more pronounced effect of control measures taken by authorities, the official said. SAFAR also said there is a large possibility of an increase in moisture from Monday evening, which might lead to an increase in the pollution level. Delhi authorities meanwhile have stepped up efforts to combat pollution which includes measures like halting construction activities and regulating traffic. There is a halt on all construction activities involving excavation. Civil construction has also been suspended in Delhi and other NCR districts, besides closure of all stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust pollution. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also directed the Transport Department and the Traffic Police to intensify checking of polluting vehicles and control travel congestion in the region during November 1-10. An aggressive 10-day-long 'Clean Air Campaign' from November 1 to 10 has also been launched to monitor and report polluting activities as well as to ensure quick action. Based on 368 complaints, a total fine of Rs 83,55,000 was imposed on Sunday itself by 52 teams in the national capital, said the CPCB. It said a total of 119 complaints of construction and demolition activities were received. Other complaints included that of vehicular emission, traffic congestion, industrial emission, open or garbage burning, leaf burning, road dust, unpaved road, fire in landfill sites, air pollution from generators among others, the CPCB said. It said a total of 52 complaints were received through social media and e-mail while 316 complaints through the 'Sameer app' that has been developed by the CPCB. Officials said about 43 teams attended to 248 complaints in Delhi. Two teams attended to 11 complaints in Gurgaon, two teams to 31 complaints in Faridabad and two teams to five complaints in Noida and Greater Noida. Three teams attended 21 complaints in Ghaziabad. On Friday and Saturday, a total penalty of Rs 80 lakh was imposed on violators. (With inputs from PTI)

After relatively clean Sunday, air pollution rises sharply in Delhi

Delhiites breathed easy Sunday after air quality significantly improved due to increased wind speed and control measures implemented by the government, even as authorities warned of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-holds-breath-as-burning-farms-herald-pollution-season-172590">severe deterioration from Monday</a>.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>'s Mandir Marg at 707, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium at 676 &amp; Jawaharlal Nehru stadium at 681 under 'Hazardous' category in Air Quality Index <a href="https://t.co/ZXTCZdFmRt">pic.twitter.com/ZXTCZdFmRt</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1059270581353435136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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On Sunday, a total fine of Rs 83,55,000 was imposed on violators by the teams deployed to monitor implementation of measures to combat pollution in the Delhi NCR under the campaign.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/air-pollution-it-is-time-for-resolute-action-175228">It's time for resolute action on air pollution</a>

The overall air quality index (AQI) on Sunday was recorded at 181, which falls in the 'moderate' category. In the morning it was 231, which falls in the 'poor' category, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data said.

The improvement in air quality can be attributed to the increase in surface wind speed to five kmph. This flushed out pollutants, an official of the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said.

The reduction in base emission is also suggestive of a more pronounced effect of control measures taken by authorities, the official said.

On Friday, the AQI was 370, which came down to 336 on Saturday, according to the CPCB. It has been found that PM 2.5 emission reduced "from 432 ton per day to 370 ton per day to reproduce the observed level with realistic met parameters, a decline in base emission by 14 per cent in Delhi and nearby domain", the official said. 
PM 2.5 are particles in the air with a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres.

The SAFAR also said there is a large possibility of an increase in moisture from Monday evening, which might lead to an increase in the pollution level.

"The AQI is predicted to be in the lower range of very poor Monday as the atmosphere is relatively clean," the official said.

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) said fire counts in the northwest region of India were significantly less on Saturday as compared to Thursday but warned of a sharp increase in PM2.5 concentration from Monday.

"If significant stubble burning continues on Sunday and Monday in the NW (northwest) region of India then its impact is very likely over Delhi and AQI may reach the upper end of the very poor category.

"The northwest wind direction may bring the influence of biomass fire on Tuesday and Wednesday," the IITM said.

Delhi authorities have stepped up efforts to combat pollution which includes measures like halting construction activities and regulating traffic.

There is a halt on all construction activities involving excavation. Civil construction has also been suspended in Delhi and other NCR districts, besides closure of all stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust pollution.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also directed the Transport Department and the Traffic Police to intensify checking of polluting vehicles and control travel congestion in the region during November 1-10.

An aggressive 10-day-long 'Clean Air Campaign' from November 1 to 10 has also been launched to monitor and report polluting activities as well as to ensure quick action.

Based on 368 complaints, a total fine of Rs 83,55,000 was imposed on Sunday itself by 52 teams in the national capital, said the CPCB.

It said a total of 119 complaints of construction and demolition activities were received.

Other complaints included that of vehicular emission, traffic congestion, industrial emission, open or garbage burning, leaf burning, road dust, unpaved road, fire in landfill sites, air pollution from generators among others, the CPCB said.

It said a total of 52 complaints were received through social media and e-mail while 316 complaints through the 'Sameer app' that has been developed by the CPCB.

Officials said about 43 teams attended to 248 complaints in Delhi. Two teams attended to 11 complaints in Gurgaon, two teams to 31 complaints in Faridabad and two teams to five complaints in Noida and Greater Noida. Three teams attended 21 complaints in Ghaziabad.

On Friday and Saturday, a total penalty of Rs 80 lakh was imposed on violators.

The teams are visiting different parts of Delhi and adjacent towns of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Noida.

Delhiites welcomed the improvement in the air quality which has been severe for the last three weeks.

"I have sent my children to play outside after weeks. I hope the air quality finally improves and we see a clean Diwali," said Sarita Mathur, a Mayur Vihar resident.

Another resident, Ritu Kumar, said she has gone on a walk for the first time this month due to improved air quality.

D Saha, former additional director and head of air quality management division at the CPCB, said, "No drastic change in pollution level is anticipated as the ground level emissions are under control due to various administrative and regulatory measures, and we are likely to have a clean Diwali."&nbsp;

Delhiites breathed easy Sunday after air quality significantly improved due to increased wind speed and control measures implemented by the government, even as authorities warned of severe deterioration from Monday.

Delhiites breathed easy Sunday after air quality significantly improved due to increased wind speed and control measures implemented by the government, even as authorities warned of severe deterioration from Monday. #Delhi's Mandir Marg at 707, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium at 676 & Jawaharlal Nehru stadium at 681 under 'Hazardous' category in Air Quality Index pic.twitter.com/ZXTCZdFmRt — ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2018 × On Sunday, a total fine of Rs 83,55,000 was imposed on violators by the teams deployed to monitor implementation of measures to combat pollution in the Delhi NCR under the campaign. Also read: It's time for resolute action on air pollution The overall air quality index (AQI) on Sunday was recorded at 181, which falls in the 'moderate' category. In the morning it was 231, which falls in the 'poor' category, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data said. The improvement in air quality can be attributed to the increase in surface wind speed to five kmph. This flushed out pollutants, an official of the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said. The reduction in base emission is also suggestive of a more pronounced effect of control measures taken by authorities, the official said. On Friday, the AQI was 370, which came down to 336 on Saturday, according to the CPCB. It has been found that PM 2.5 emission reduced "from 432 ton per day to 370 ton per day to reproduce the observed level with realistic met parameters, a decline in base emission by 14 per cent in Delhi and nearby domain", the official said. PM 2.5 are particles in the air with a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres. The SAFAR also said there is a large possibility of an increase in moisture from Monday evening, which might lead to an increase in the pollution level. "The AQI is predicted to be in the lower range of very poor Monday as the atmosphere is relatively clean," the official said. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) said fire counts in the northwest region of India were significantly less on Saturday as compared to Thursday but warned of a sharp increase in PM2.5 concentration from Monday. "If significant stubble burning continues on Sunday and Monday in the NW (northwest) region of India then its impact is very likely over Delhi and AQI may reach the upper end of the very poor category. "The northwest wind direction may bring the influence of biomass fire on Tuesday and Wednesday," the IITM said. Delhi authorities have stepped up efforts to combat pollution which includes measures like halting construction activities and regulating traffic. There is a halt on all construction activities involving excavation. Civil construction has also been suspended in Delhi and other NCR districts, besides closure of all stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust pollution. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also directed the Transport Department and the Traffic Police to intensify checking of polluting vehicles and control travel congestion in the region during November 1-10. An aggressive 10-day-long 'Clean Air Campaign' from November 1 to 10 has also been launched to monitor and report polluting activities as well as to ensure quick action. Based on 368 complaints, a total fine of Rs 83,55,000 was imposed on Sunday itself by 52 teams in the national capital, said the CPCB. It said a total of 119 complaints of construction and demolition activities were received. Other complaints included that of vehicular emission, traffic congestion, industrial emission, open or garbage burning, leaf burning, road dust, unpaved road, fire in landfill sites, air pollution from generators among others, the CPCB said. It said a total of 52 complaints were received through social media and e-mail while 316 complaints through the 'Sameer app' that has been developed by the CPCB. Officials said about 43 teams attended to 248 complaints in Delhi. Two teams attended to 11 complaints in Gurgaon, two teams to 31 complaints in Faridabad and two teams to five complaints in Noida and Greater Noida. Three teams attended 21 complaints in Ghaziabad. On Friday and Saturday, a total penalty of Rs 80 lakh was imposed on violators. The teams are visiting different parts of Delhi and adjacent towns of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Noida. Delhiites welcomed the improvement in the air quality which has been severe for the last three weeks. "I have sent my children to play outside after weeks. I hope the air quality finally improves and we see a clean Diwali," said Sarita Mathur, a Mayur Vihar resident. Another resident, Ritu Kumar, said she has gone on a walk for the first time this month due to improved air quality. D Saha, former additional director and head of air quality management division at the CPCB, said, "No drastic change in pollution level is anticipated as the ground level emissions are under control due to various administrative and regulatory measures, and we are likely to have a clean Diwali."

Delhi pollution: Authorities say air quality will deteriorate severely from today

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-prince-probe-into-khashoggi-killing-will-exonerate-crown-prince-salman-175527">Saudi prince: Probe into Khashoggi killing will exonerate Crown Prince Salman</a>

Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a top international businessman from the kingdom, said on Sunday that an official investigation into the death of journalist&nbsp;Jamal Khashoggi&nbsp;will exonerate the country's leader.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterm-elections-2018-trump-democrats-in-frenzied-final-push-ahead-of-us-elections-175521">'You gotta get to the polls on Tuesday, and you gotta vote,' Trump tells electorate before US midterm elections</a>

Donald Trump and his Democratic rivals made frenzied, final pushes to motivate their core voters Sunday ahead of&nbsp;contentious midterm elections&nbsp;seen as a referendum on the president's divisive first two years in office.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhiites-breathe-easy-as-air-quality-improves-authorities-warn-deterioration-from-monday-175523">Delhi pollution: Authorities say air quality will deteriorate severely from today</a>

Delhiites breathed easy Sunday after air quality significantly improved due to increased wind speed and control measures implemented by the government, even as authorities warned of severe deterioration from Monday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-sanctions-on-iran-toughest-ever-take-force-monday-175530">US sanctions on Iran, 'toughest ever,' take force today</a>

The United States is reimposing punitive measures targeting the Iranian oil and financial sectors in what US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called "the toughest sanctions ever placed" against Iran.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/fuel-prices-further-slashed-petrol-selling-at-7856-per-litre-diesel-7316-175531">Fuel prices further slashed; petrol selling at 78.56 per litre, diesel 73.16</a>

Fuel prices in the country continued to decline on Monday with the price of petrol reaching Rs 78.56 per litre in Delhi and Rs 84.06 per litre in Mumbai.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Saudi prince: Probe into Khashoggi killing will exonerate Crown Prince Salman Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a top international businessman from the kingdom, said on Sunday that an official investigation into the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi will exonerate the country's leader.

Saudi prince: Probe into Khashoggi killing will exonerate Crown Prince Salman Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a top international businessman from the kingdom, said on Sunday that an official investigation into the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi will exonerate the country's leader. 'You gotta get to the polls on Tuesday, and you gotta vote,' Trump tells electorate before US midterm elections Donald Trump and his Democratic rivals made frenzied, final pushes to motivate their core voters Sunday ahead of contentious midterm elections seen as a referendum on the president's divisive first two years in office. Delhi pollution: Authorities say air quality will deteriorate severely from today Delhiites breathed easy Sunday after air quality significantly improved due to increased wind speed and control measures implemented by the government, even as authorities warned of severe deterioration from Monday. US sanctions on Iran, 'toughest ever,' take force today The United States is reimposing punitive measures targeting the Iranian oil and financial sectors in what US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called "the toughest sanctions ever placed" against Iran. Fuel prices further slashed; petrol selling at 78.56 per litre, diesel 73.16 Fuel prices in the country continued to decline on Monday with the price of petrol reaching Rs 78.56 per litre in Delhi and Rs 84.06 per litre in Mumbai.

News brief: Big stories of the day

In pictures: Air pollution in Delhi 9 times over acceptable limit

Several measures imposed in the national capital to check pollution have led to a slight improvement in air quality, according to a report by government-run agency SAFAR.

However, the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) has predicted deterioration of air quality from Monday. 
 
The air quality index (AQI) has "improved to the lower range of 'very poor' category despite adverse weather conditions, reflecting the impact of reduced base emission", the report said.&nbsp;

The overall AQI in Delhi on Saturday was recorded at 340, which falls in the 'very poor' category, Central Pollution Control Board data said. On Friday, an AQI of 370 was recorded.

"The improvement is suggestive of the effect of control measures," the report said.

The AQI has improved in the last two days and the SAFAR report has attributed it to measures such as halt on all construction activities involving excavation, checking of polluting vehicles and sprinkling of water on roads imposed by authorities.

The report said at this persistence stage of westerly disturbances, some instability is good for dispersion of pollutants.

But, it warned that moisture in Delhi's atmosphere, fall in temperature and upper winds from stubble burning sites will "adversely impact air quality and as per the SAFAR-forecasting model the AQI will touch upper level of very poor from November 5 afternoon onwards".

Delhi's air quality severely deteriorated in the last two weeks.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, the air quality reached the 'severe' level, prompting authorities to adopt a slew of measures.

There is a halt on all construction activities involving excavation. Civil construction has also been suspended in Delhi and other NCR districts, besides closure of all stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust pollution.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also directed the Transport Department and the Traffic Police to intensify checking of polluting vehicles and control travel congestion in the region during November 1-10.

Around 43 teams have been formed by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation for night patrolling to check incidents of burning of garbage.

Twelve mechanical dust sweeping machines and around 110 vehicles for sprinkling water on roads have also been deployed.

Several measures imposed in the national capital to check pollution have led to a slight improvement in air quality, according to a report by government-run agency SAFAR.

Several measures imposed in the national capital to check pollution have led to a slight improvement in air quality, according to a report by government-run agency SAFAR. However, the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) has predicted deterioration of air quality from Monday. The air quality index (AQI) has "improved to the lower range of 'very poor' category despite adverse weather conditions, reflecting the impact of reduced base emission", the report said. The overall AQI in Delhi on Saturday was recorded at 340, which falls in the 'very poor' category, Central Pollution Control Board data said. On Friday, an AQI of 370 was recorded. "The improvement is suggestive of the effect of control measures," the report said. The AQI has improved in the last two days and the SAFAR report has attributed it to measures such as halt on all construction activities involving excavation, checking of polluting vehicles and sprinkling of water on roads imposed by authorities. The report said at this persistence stage of westerly disturbances, some instability is good for dispersion of pollutants. But, it warned that moisture in Delhi's atmosphere, fall in temperature and upper winds from stubble burning sites will "adversely impact air quality and as per the SAFAR-forecasting model the AQI will touch upper level of very poor from November 5 afternoon onwards". Delhi's air quality severely deteriorated in the last two weeks. On Tuesday, the air quality reached the 'severe' level, prompting authorities to adopt a slew of measures. There is a halt on all construction activities involving excavation. Civil construction has also been suspended in Delhi and other NCR districts, besides closure of all stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust pollution. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also directed the Transport Department and the Traffic Police to intensify checking of polluting vehicles and control travel congestion in the region during November 1-10. Around 43 teams have been formed by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation for night patrolling to check incidents of burning of garbage. Twelve mechanical dust sweeping machines and around 110 vehicles for sprinkling water on roads have also been deployed.

Control measures have led to slight dip in Delhi pollution levels: SAFAR

Delhi's air quality remained in the very poor category at 368 on Friday despite government's effort to stop pollution.

The PM2.5 level was recorded at 210. Fine particulates can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres).&nbsp;

The authorities also detected stubble burning in Uttar Pradesh for the first time this season after Punjab and Haryana which they said may add to the pollution woes of the national capital.

The air quality on Saturday stood at the very unhealthy category at 260.

Though there was a significant reduction from yesterday's recorded AQI in the morning hours, the forecast for next week hints on the AQI ranging at an average of 250.

The state pollution control bodies have been directed to initiate criminal prosecution against violators of air pollution norms and odd-even may come into effect if the air quality worsens.

There is a halt on all construction activities involving excavation. Civil construction has also been suspended in Delhi and other NCR districts, besides closure of all stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust pollution. 
&nbsp;

Delhi's air quality remained in the very poor category at 368 on Friday despite government's effort to stop pollution. The PM2.5 level was recorded at 210. Fine particulates can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres).

Delhi's air quality remained in the very poor category at 368 on Friday despite government's effort to stop pollution. The PM2.5 level was recorded at 210. Fine particulates can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres). The authorities also detected stubble burning in Uttar Pradesh for the first time this season after Punjab and Haryana which they said may add to the pollution woes of the national capital. The air quality on Saturday stood at the very unhealthy category at 260. Though there was a significant reduction from yesterday's recorded AQI in the morning hours, the forecast for next week hints on the AQI ranging at an average of 250. The state pollution control bodies have been directed to initiate criminal prosecution against violators of air pollution norms and odd-even may come into effect if the air quality worsens. There is a halt on all construction activities involving excavation. Civil construction has also been suspended in Delhi and other NCR districts, besides closure of all stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust pollution.

Delhi air quality remains very poor

Study: Vehicles main cause of pollution in Delhi

Delhi’s air quality remained in the very poor category Friday despite a slew of measures that were implemented in the national capital ahead of Diwali when a spike in pollution was expected to hit the city.&nbsp;

The Overall Air Quality Index of the national capital was recorded at 368 which falls in the very poor category, according to data by the Central Pollution Control Board.

According to a study, conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri) on environment and pollution issues, 36 per cent of the Delhi's pollution has its source within the city itself, 34 per cent in National Capital Region while 30 per cent comes from across international borders.

Teri's study shows that vehicle pollution is the cause of 28% of PM2.5 emissions, dust pollution contributes 18%, Industries contribute 30%, Delhi's residential areas contribute 10% and stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring states contribute only 4% to pollution levels during the winter season.

PM2.5 refers to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) that have a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres, which is about 3% the diameter of a human hair. Commonly written as PM2.5, particles in this category are so small that they can only be detected with an electron microscope.

Delhi’s air quality remained in the very poor category Friday despite a slew of measures that were implemented in the national capital ahead of Diwali when a spike in pollution was expected to hit the city.

Delhi’s air quality remained in the very poor category Friday despite a slew of measures that were implemented in the national capital ahead of Diwali when a spike in pollution was expected to hit the city. The Overall Air Quality Index of the national capital was recorded at 368 which falls in the very poor category, according to data by the Central Pollution Control Board. According to a study, conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri) on environment and pollution issues, 36 per cent of the Delhi's pollution has its source within the city itself, 34 per cent in National Capital Region while 30 per cent comes from across international borders. Teri's study shows that vehicle pollution is the cause of 28% of PM2.5 emissions, dust pollution contributes 18%, Industries contribute 30%, Delhi's residential areas contribute 10% and stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring states contribute only 4% to pollution levels during the winter season. PM2.5 refers to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) that have a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres, which is about 3% the diameter of a human hair. Commonly written as PM2.5, particles in this category are so small that they can only be detected with an electron microscope.

Delhi pollution: 70% source in NCR, vehicles are main cause, says Teri report

The Diwali air pollution issue has gained currency in the public discourse majorly from the standpoint of the public health and environmental threat that it poses on a pan-India scale.&nbsp;

With the intention of resolving the issue, the Supreme Court imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers last year on a pilot basis in Delhi.&nbsp;

However, this year the strategy is seemingly more rational and holistic, mindful of environmental health concerns as well as the celebratory sentiments, which are otherwise difficult to curb, owing to the various implementation challenges intricately linked with socio-economic factors and cultural practices.&nbsp;

In an attempt to understand the efficacy of the 2017 ban at reducing fine particulate matter, a local monitoring station was set up during the Diwali period in a typical urban pocket of South Delhi, characterised by the presence of an affluent urban neighbourhood, an urban slum, an urban village and a resettlement colony.&nbsp;

The station enabled collection of granular data at one-minute resolution and reflected that local PM2.5 levels were as high as 2500 µg/m3 with the 24-h median PM2.5 concentrations having increased by 300 per cent on the day of Diwali.&nbsp;

The impact of Diwali emissions was seen on ambient PM2.5 levels up to two days after the festival. The neighbourhood levels captured by the local monitor is important to understand the magnitude of actual exposure contrary to the centrally located CPCB monitors, which reported relatively lower values.&nbsp;

Although the prevalence of particulate matter in the ambient air is contingent upon a number of factors, mainly meteorological conditions, emissions of such escalating levels require a more graded approach rather than a blanket ban.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court’s order this year for “green and improved” firecrackers concurs with a scientific rationale and is aligned with socio-political complexities involved in imposing such measures.&nbsp;

While endorsing some of the criticism about the ban being discussed in the public domain, one can agree with the fact that it does not limit the ban of cracker-burning to the festival of Diwali, but also a few other festivals and wedding celebrations, recognizing the practice as a problem rather than being an event-centric intervention.&nbsp;

Additionally, it attempts to address the problem at a manufacturing level without upsetting the economic ecosystem of cracker producers. The ban on its sale through online channels is also laudable given that those availing frequent online platforms for shopping are usually the higher income strata, who naturally have a more disposable income to purchase crackers.&nbsp;

However, one needs to be mindful of the fact that the presence of particulate matter in the ambient conditions are heavily dependent on meteorological conditions and the two-hour time period recommended could well be characterised by inversion or very stable atmospheric conditions, which may become an antithesis to the intention of the pollution redressal measure.

Also, vigilance mechanisms need to be substantiated with behaviour-centric approaches to be deployed well ahead of this time at a mass scale and in a context-sensitive way aligned with regional sentiments and practices in order to tackle the issue in a holistic fashion.&nbsp;

At the same time enforcement of existing policies such as the ban of cracker burning around health facilities need to be aggressively imposed to reduce exposure related threats to vulnerable groups.&nbsp;

Similarly, congested neighbourhoods, where the likelihood of emission entrapment is higher, are needed to be rigorously prevented from the use of crackers.&nbsp;

The timeliness of the proposed air pollution control measures to tackle burning during festivities can, however, be criticized given that it needs to be mindful of sensitisation and preparedness on the part of manufacturers to produce green or “reduced emission crackers”. &nbsp;

The procurement of raw material and chemicals for mass scale production does not begin right before the festivity but in accordance to the life-course of a production mechanism.&nbsp;

From the perspective of the general public, even though there seems to be a resonance with the need for pollution-curbing measures, it does seem to upset an age-long sentiment. Under such circumstances, phasing out can only happen when strategies to curtail emissions are popularised, implying the need for dissemination of knowledge on the various emission levels of cracker types and the subsequent health risks that they pose.&nbsp;

Catastrophic air pollution issues need to be unpacked to provide a plethora of measures that communities can adopt and alternate with. Simultaneously, attention to peri-urban locations and smaller cities with poor air quality monitoring are also important owing to the acute nature of the exposures that take place while burning the crackers. &nbsp;

The measures undertaken so far are understandably in an experimental phase and need to evolve in a more timely manner to allow all stakeholders - manufacturers, users and regulators - to prepare ahead. The recognition of the problem on this scale and intention to improvise strategies are, however, appreciable.&nbsp;

(The article is co-authored by Samyita Ghosh. She works with the Centre for Environmental Health, PHFI)

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-demystifying-the-diwali-ban-2680685">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The Diwali air pollution issue has gained currency in the public discourse majorly from the standpoint of the public health and environmental threat that it poses on a pan-India scale.

The Diwali air pollution issue has gained currency in the public discourse majorly from the standpoint of the public health and environmental threat that it poses on a pan-India scale. With the intention of resolving the issue, the Supreme Court imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers last year on a pilot basis in Delhi. However, this year the strategy is seemingly more rational and holistic, mindful of environmental health concerns as well as the celebratory sentiments, which are otherwise difficult to curb, owing to the various implementation challenges intricately linked with socio-economic factors and cultural practices. In an attempt to understand the efficacy of the 2017 ban at reducing fine particulate matter, a local monitoring station was set up during the Diwali period in a typical urban pocket of South Delhi, characterised by the presence of an affluent urban neighbourhood, an urban slum, an urban village and a resettlement colony. The station enabled collection of granular data at one-minute resolution and reflected that local PM2.5 levels were as high as 2500 µg/m3 with the 24-h median PM2.5 concentrations having increased by 300 per cent on the day of Diwali. The impact of Diwali emissions was seen on ambient PM2.5 levels up to two days after the festival. The neighbourhood levels captured by the local monitor is important to understand the magnitude of actual exposure contrary to the centrally located CPCB monitors, which reported relatively lower values. Although the prevalence of particulate matter in the ambient air is contingent upon a number of factors, mainly meteorological conditions, emissions of such escalating levels require a more graded approach rather than a blanket ban. The Supreme Court’s order this year for “green and improved” firecrackers concurs with a scientific rationale and is aligned with socio-political complexities involved in imposing such measures. While endorsing some of the criticism about the ban being discussed in the public domain, one can agree with the fact that it does not limit the ban of cracker-burning to the festival of Diwali, but also a few other festivals and wedding celebrations, recognizing the practice as a problem rather than being an event-centric intervention. Additionally, it attempts to address the problem at a manufacturing level without upsetting the economic ecosystem of cracker producers. The ban on its sale through online channels is also laudable given that those availing frequent online platforms for shopping are usually the higher income strata, who naturally have a more disposable income to purchase crackers. However, one needs to be mindful of the fact that the presence of particulate matter in the ambient conditions are heavily dependent on meteorological conditions and the two-hour time period recommended could well be characterised by inversion or very stable atmospheric conditions, which may become an antithesis to the intention of the pollution redressal measure. Also, vigilance mechanisms need to be substantiated with behaviour-centric approaches to be deployed well ahead of this time at a mass scale and in a context-sensitive way aligned with regional sentiments and practices in order to tackle the issue in a holistic fashion. At the same time enforcement of existing policies such as the ban of cracker burning around health facilities need to be aggressively imposed to reduce exposure related threats to vulnerable groups. Similarly, congested neighbourhoods, where the likelihood of emission entrapment is higher, are needed to be rigorously prevented from the use of crackers. The timeliness of the proposed air pollution control measures to tackle burning during festivities can, however, be criticized given that it needs to be mindful of sensitisation and preparedness on the part of manufacturers to produce green or “reduced emission crackers”. The procurement of raw material and chemicals for mass scale production does not begin right before the festivity but in accordance to the life-course of a production mechanism. From the perspective of the general public, even though there seems to be a resonance with the need for pollution-curbing measures, it does seem to upset an age-long sentiment. Under such circumstances, phasing out can only happen when strategies to curtail emissions are popularised, implying the need for dissemination of knowledge on the various emission levels of cracker types and the subsequent health risks that they pose. Catastrophic air pollution issues need to be unpacked to provide a plethora of measures that communities can adopt and alternate with. Simultaneously, attention to peri-urban locations and smaller cities with poor air quality monitoring are also important owing to the acute nature of the exposures that take place while burning the crackers. The measures undertaken so far are understandably in an experimental phase and need to evolve in a more timely manner to allow all stakeholders - manufacturers, users and regulators - to prepare ahead. The recognition of the problem on this scale and intention to improvise strategies are, however, appreciable. (The article is co-authored by Samyita Ghosh. She works with the Centre for Environmental Health, PHFI) (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Demystifying SC order on firecrackers to combat pollution

Delhi recorded its worst air quality

Watch: WION Your Story, 29th October, 2018

Delhi's air quality remained 'very poor' for the fourth day Saturday with eight areas of the national capital recording severe pollution levels, as authorities warned the situation may deteriorate further next week due to localised emissions during festival and stubble burning.

The Central Pollution Control Board recorded the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi at 350. The highest AQI of this season was recorded Friday at 361.

In the NCR region, Ghaziabad recorded severe pollution level, while Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Greater Noida all recorded 'very poor' air quality, according to data by the Central Pollution Control Board data on Saturday.

The eight areas that recorded 'severe' air quality Saturday are Anand Vihar, Dwarka Sector 8, Narela, Punjabi Bagh, Bawana, Mundaka, Vivek Vihar and Rohini.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

The CPCB-led task force has recommended stringent measures from November 1 to 10, forecasting further deterioration in the air quality ahead of Diwali.

Some of these recommendations include shut down of coal and biomass factories, intensification of inspection by transport department to check polluting vehicles and control traffic congestion in Delhi NCR during November 1-10.

Authorities also issued an advisory to public, asking them to avoid outdoor strenuous activities and minimise the use of private vehicles.

The task force also warned that at the beginning of November, the situation may get further deteriorated on account of localised emissions during festival and regional contribution due to stubble burning.

The PM2.5 (presence of particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) was recorded at 179. The PM2.5, also called "fine particulates," can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10.

The PM10 level (presence of particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres) in Delhi stood at 321, according to the data from the SAFAR.

The SAFAR also issued a heath advisory due to increased pollution level in Delhi, urging people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.

It also recommended people to go for shorter walks instead of jogs, keeping windows closed and wearing masks while stepping outside.

Delhi's air quality remained 'very poor' for the fourth day Saturday with eight areas of the national capital recording severe pollution levels, as authorities warned the situation may deteriorate further next week due to localised emissions during festival and stubble burning.

Delhi's air quality remained 'very poor' for the fourth day Saturday with eight areas of the national capital recording severe pollution levels, as authorities warned the situation may deteriorate further next week due to localised emissions during festival and stubble burning. The Central Pollution Control Board recorded the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi at 350. The highest AQI of this season was recorded Friday at 361. In the NCR region, Ghaziabad recorded severe pollution level, while Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Greater Noida all recorded 'very poor' air quality, according to data by the Central Pollution Control Board data on Saturday. The eight areas that recorded 'severe' air quality Saturday are Anand Vihar, Dwarka Sector 8, Narela, Punjabi Bagh, Bawana, Mundaka, Vivek Vihar and Rohini. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. The CPCB-led task force has recommended stringent measures from November 1 to 10, forecasting further deterioration in the air quality ahead of Diwali. Some of these recommendations include shut down of coal and biomass factories, intensification of inspection by transport department to check polluting vehicles and control traffic congestion in Delhi NCR during November 1-10. Authorities also issued an advisory to public, asking them to avoid outdoor strenuous activities and minimise the use of private vehicles. The task force also warned that at the beginning of November, the situation may get further deteriorated on account of localised emissions during festival and regional contribution due to stubble burning. The PM2.5 (presence of particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) was recorded at 179. The PM2.5, also called "fine particulates," can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10. The PM10 level (presence of particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres) in Delhi stood at 321, according to the data from the SAFAR. The SAFAR also issued a heath advisory due to increased pollution level in Delhi, urging people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. It also recommended people to go for shorter walks instead of jogs, keeping windows closed and wearing masks while stepping outside.

Delhi continues to choke with 'very poor' air quality, 8 areas record severe pollution: Authorities

Harpal Singh struck a match and watched his fields burn, the acrid smoke drifting toward New Delhi where a lethal smog cocktail is once again intensifying over the world's most polluted megacity.

Every November, air pollution in north India reaches levels unimaginable in most parts of the world, forcing schools shut and filling hospital wards with wheezing patients.

As winter descends, cooler air traps car fumes, factory emissions and construction dust close to the ground, fomenting a toxic brew of harmful pollutants that regularly exceed 30 times the World Health Organization safe limit.

The scourge is compounded as farmers like Singh -- rushing to ready their fields for next season's wheat crop -- use fire to quickly and cheaply clear their land.

He knows slash-and-burn farming is illegal and that doing so, year after year, helps sicken millions in Delhi and beyond.

But local authorities appear powerless to stop it and -- looming health crisis or not in Delhi -- the narrow window to plant for the winter harvest is closing.

"We have no other choice but to burn the straw," Singh told AFP in Ishargarh, a village in Haryana, about 120 km northwest of Delhi.

"We know the smoke pollutes the air. But it is the cheapest and easiest way to get rid of the (crop) residue," the 65-year-old farmer told AFP, as burning straw crackled and popped behind him.

Deaf Ears

This smoke is already reaching Delhi, bringing a familiar sepia haze and a bad omen for officials wanting to avoid a third straight year of record-setting smog.

Deterrents, such as fines of up to $200 for farmers flouting the law, appear to have limited effect.

Satellite imagery shows countless spot fires already burning in Haryana and Punjab.

S Narayanan, from Haryana's State Pollution Control Board, said Rs. 3 lakh in fines had been issued and fires were down 40 percent in some areas.

"But our intention is not only to take punitive action, but to educate the farmers," he told AFP.

Farmers represent powerful voting blocs in rural states like Haryana and Punjab, and local authorities are reluctant to upset them.

Efforts to persuade farmers, many living below the poverty line, to adopt alternative methods of land clearance have fallen on deaf ears.

Many have balked at suggestions of buying "Happy Seeders" -- expensive machines which according to media reports cost at least Rs. 1.5 lakh - that sow wheat without needing to dispose of the leftover straw.&nbsp;

The government is offering a subsidy of 50 percent to individuals and 80 percent to groups of farmers to encourage them to use the machines.

"We are already in debt... and we can't afford even the subsidised machines," said Karnail Singh, a 60-year-old farmer. He suggested the government pay farmers by the acre not to burn their fields.

Television ads, social media campaigns and meetings at the village level have also had limited success.&nbsp;

Powerful farmers unions say many of the government's ideas -- such as encouraging farmers to sell straw to factories -- overlook extra costs imposed on poor rural families.

"Who will bear the cost of transporting the straw? Farmers are also concerned about the pollution, but they are helpless," said Sucha Singh from Bhartiya Kisan Union, a farmers' rights group.

Gas Chamber

Many farmers feel scapegoated for the modern-day problems of the country's fast-growing cities.

The WHO in May listed 14 Indian cities in the world's top 15 with the dirtiest air, with Delhi dubbed the most polluted major centre.

"Farmers are blamed for the pollution, but nobody talks about the factories and cars and buses which are the main culprits," Singh said.

Others are more defiant.

"We are always the soft targets. We will continue to burn stubble. Let the government do what it can," said another farmer Harbans Singh.

With smoke on the horizon, the Delhi government is squaring off for a fight with its neighbours.

It recently closed its last coal-fired power plant but Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned of another smog crisis if Punjab and Haryana failed to take "concrete steps" on crop fires.

"The entire region including Delhi will again become (a) gas chamber," he said on October 12.

"People will again face difficulty in breathing. This is criminal."

Harpal Singh struck a match and watched his fields burn, the acrid smoke drifting toward New Delhi where a lethal smog cocktail is once again intensifying over the world's most polluted megacity.

Harpal Singh struck a match and watched his fields burn, the acrid smoke drifting toward New Delhi where a lethal smog cocktail is once again intensifying over the world's most polluted megacity. Every November, air pollution in north India reaches levels unimaginable in most parts of the world, forcing schools shut and filling hospital wards with wheezing patients. As winter descends, cooler air traps car fumes, factory emissions and construction dust close to the ground, fomenting a toxic brew of harmful pollutants that regularly exceed 30 times the World Health Organization safe limit. The scourge is compounded as farmers like Singh -- rushing to ready their fields for next season's wheat crop -- use fire to quickly and cheaply clear their land. He knows slash-and-burn farming is illegal and that doing so, year after year, helps sicken millions in Delhi and beyond. But local authorities appear powerless to stop it and -- looming health crisis or not in Delhi -- the narrow window to plant for the winter harvest is closing. "We have no other choice but to burn the straw," Singh told AFP in Ishargarh, a village in Haryana, about 120 km northwest of Delhi. "We know the smoke pollutes the air. But it is the cheapest and easiest way to get rid of the (crop) residue," the 65-year-old farmer told AFP, as burning straw crackled and popped behind him. Deaf Ears This smoke is already reaching Delhi, bringing a familiar sepia haze and a bad omen for officials wanting to avoid a third straight year of record-setting smog. Deterrents, such as fines of up to $200 for farmers flouting the law, appear to have limited effect. Satellite imagery shows countless spot fires already burning in Haryana and Punjab. S Narayanan, from Haryana's State Pollution Control Board, said Rs. 3 lakh in fines had been issued and fires were down 40 percent in some areas. "But our intention is not only to take punitive action, but to educate the farmers," he told AFP. Farmers represent powerful voting blocs in rural states like Haryana and Punjab, and local authorities are reluctant to upset them. Efforts to persuade farmers, many living below the poverty line, to adopt alternative methods of land clearance have fallen on deaf ears. Many have balked at suggestions of buying "Happy Seeders" -- expensive machines which according to media reports cost at least Rs. 1.5 lakh - that sow wheat without needing to dispose of the leftover straw. The government is offering a subsidy of 50 percent to individuals and 80 percent to groups of farmers to encourage them to use the machines. "We are already in debt... and we can't afford even the subsidised machines," said Karnail Singh, a 60-year-old farmer. He suggested the government pay farmers by the acre not to burn their fields. Television ads, social media campaigns and meetings at the village level have also had limited success. Powerful farmers unions say many of the government's ideas -- such as encouraging farmers to sell straw to factories -- overlook extra costs imposed on poor rural families. "Who will bear the cost of transporting the straw? Farmers are also concerned about the pollution, but they are helpless," said Sucha Singh from Bhartiya Kisan Union, a farmers' rights group. Gas Chamber Many farmers feel scapegoated for the modern-day problems of the country's fast-growing cities. The WHO in May listed 14 Indian cities in the world's top 15 with the dirtiest air, with Delhi dubbed the most polluted major centre. "Farmers are blamed for the pollution, but nobody talks about the factories and cars and buses which are the main culprits," Singh said. Others are more defiant. "We are always the soft targets. We will continue to burn stubble. Let the government do what it can," said another farmer Harbans Singh. With smoke on the horizon, the Delhi government is squaring off for a fight with its neighbours. It recently closed its last coal-fired power plant but Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned of another smog crisis if Punjab and Haryana failed to take "concrete steps" on crop fires. "The entire region including Delhi will again become (a) gas chamber," he said on October 12. "People will again face difficulty in breathing. This is criminal."

Delhi holds breath as burning farms herald pollution season

Seeking to curb the city's pollution level, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Sunday asked the state-run NBCC to "immediately halt" all construction and demolition activities at its project site at Pragati Maidan, officials said.

The SDMC said it has taken several measures in view of the deteriorating air quality in the city over the last one week.

"SDMC Sunday hired 22 additional water tankers for water sprinkling in open areas, taking the total number of such tankers to 62. The NBCC has been told to immediately stop all construction and demolition activities of the Pragati Maidan project after NBCC seems to have ignored earlier request of SDMC to it to follow the NGT guidelines," the civic body said in a statement.

The NBCC is building a world-class convention-cum-exhibition centre at the site of the Pragati Maidan.

"SDMC has also started ground-level monitoring on a continuous basis to ensure that the common objective of reducing pollution level is achieved and air quality does not deteriorate further," SDMC Commissioner P K Goel said.

He said the civic body was committed to strictly enforce the directions of the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), including the instructions it had received from it on Saturday.

The Supreme Court-empowered EPCA is tasked with taking various measures to tackle air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region.

The EPCA is also mandated to enforce Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the city as per the pollution levels.

In November, the EPCA had enforced several measures, including closure of the Badarpur thermal power plant, ban on brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers, and construction activities.

The air quality in Delhi remained poor Sunday with drop in wind speed even as authorities predicted further fall in air quality index of the national capital in the coming days.&nbsp;

The overall air quality index (AQI) recorded at 10 am Sunday stood at 208 which falls in the 'poor' category, according to Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

"The SDMC has told in plain words to NBCC/Shapoorji Pallonji, working on Pragati Maidan project, to immediately stop all construction or demolition activities at site or face the music under DMC

Act 1957. A communication has been issued to stop construction activities as NBCC ignored earlier request to this regard and NGT's guidelines," the SDMC said.

They have been asked to produce a sanction plan of the project issued by any competent authority or obtain the same from the SDMC and stop all construction or demolition activities till the submission of the sanction plan, it said.

The order to stop the construction will, however, remain in effect till the air quality level is brought to a satisfactory level as per the standards specified by the EPCA, the civic body said.

Meanwhile, the sprinkling of water by tankers Sunday was undertaken in several areas, including Batla House to Okhla Head Works, Okhla SLF, and Defence Colony, Jal Vihar, Lajpat Nagar, Sunder Nagar, Bhairon Marg and R K Puram sectors 1 and 4.&nbsp;

Seeking to curb the city's pollution level, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Sunday asked the state-run NBCC to "immediately halt" all construction and demolition activities at its project site at Pragati Maidan, officials said.

Seeking to curb the city's pollution level, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Sunday asked the state-run NBCC to "immediately halt" all construction and demolition activities at its project site at Pragati Maidan, officials said. The SDMC said it has taken several measures in view of the deteriorating air quality in the city over the last one week. "SDMC Sunday hired 22 additional water tankers for water sprinkling in open areas, taking the total number of such tankers to 62. The NBCC has been told to immediately stop all construction and demolition activities of the Pragati Maidan project after NBCC seems to have ignored earlier request of SDMC to it to follow the NGT guidelines," the civic body said in a statement. The NBCC is building a world-class convention-cum-exhibition centre at the site of the Pragati Maidan. "SDMC has also started ground-level monitoring on a continuous basis to ensure that the common objective of reducing pollution level is achieved and air quality does not deteriorate further," SDMC Commissioner P K Goel said. He said the civic body was committed to strictly enforce the directions of the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), including the instructions it had received from it on Saturday. The Supreme Court-empowered EPCA is tasked with taking various measures to tackle air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region. The EPCA is also mandated to enforce Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the city as per the pollution levels. In November, the EPCA had enforced several measures, including closure of the Badarpur thermal power plant, ban on brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers, and construction activities. The air quality in Delhi remained poor Sunday with drop in wind speed even as authorities predicted further fall in air quality index of the national capital in the coming days. The overall air quality index (AQI) recorded at 10 am Sunday stood at 208 which falls in the 'poor' category, according to Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). "The SDMC has told in plain words to NBCC/Shapoorji Pallonji, working on Pragati Maidan project, to immediately stop all construction or demolition activities at site or face the music under DMC Act 1957. A communication has been issued to stop construction activities as NBCC ignored earlier request to this regard and NGT's guidelines," the SDMC said. They have been asked to produce a sanction plan of the project issued by any competent authority or obtain the same from the SDMC and stop all construction or demolition activities till the submission of the sanction plan, it said. The order to stop the construction will, however, remain in effect till the air quality level is brought to a satisfactory level as per the standards specified by the EPCA, the civic body said. Meanwhile, the sprinkling of water by tankers Sunday was undertaken in several areas, including Batla House to Okhla Head Works, Okhla SLF, and Defence Colony, Jal Vihar, Lajpat Nagar, Sunder Nagar, Bhairon Marg and R K Puram sectors 1 and 4.

Pollution: SDMC asks NBCC to stop construction activities at Pragati Maidan

An emergency action plan will be implemented from Monday to combat air pollution that has begun to show a trend towards very poor category, the Central Pollution Control Board said.

Under the emergency plan called Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), stringent actions are implemented based on the air quality of the city.

If the air quality lies in moderate to poor category- measures like stopping garbage burning in landfills and other places, and enforcing all pollution control regulations in brick kilns and industries would be implemented, an official official said.

If the air quality falls in the very poor category, additional measures of stopping use of diesel generator sets, enhancing parking fees 3-4 times and increasing frequency of metro and buses would be implemented, he added.

If the air quality falls in the severe category, additional measures would be implemented of increasing frequency of mechanised cleaning of roads, sprinkling of water on roads and identifying road stretches with high dust generation.

If the air quality falls to severe plus emergency category, then measures like stopping entry of trucks into Delhi (except essential commodities), stopping construction activities and appointment of task force to take decision on any additional steps, including shutting of schools, are implemented.

The measures depending upon the air quality will be implemented from Monday.

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Currently the air quality is in the poor category but authorities have predicted that it would reach the 'very poor' category in the next couple of days.

In addition to GRAP, the CPCB has also deployed 41 teams across the Delhi NCR to monitor proper implementation of norms enforced to prevent pollution at the source.

Till October 11, 96 inspections were conducted by the teams across Delhi NCR and the inspections would intensify in the coming days, a senior CPCB official said.

The inspections was started by the two-member team on September 15, he added.

Meanwhile, satellite images from the NASA showed rampant stubble burning activity in Punjab and Haryana.

The NASA, on its official website, stated that burning of crop residue in Punjab and Haryana has increased significantly over the past 10 days in and near Amritsar, Ambala, Karnal, Sirsa and Hisar.

Burning of paddy straw every year during October and November and wheat straw during April in Punjab and Haryana are the major contributors of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, as the smoke travels towards the national capital. In Delhi, it mixes with the fog and creates a toxic smoggy winter every year.

An emergency action plan will be implemented from Monday to combat air pollution that has begun to show a trend towards very poor category, the Central Pollution Control Board said.

An emergency action plan will be implemented from Monday to combat air pollution that has begun to show a trend towards very poor category, the Central Pollution Control Board said. Under the emergency plan called Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), stringent actions are implemented based on the air quality of the city. If the air quality lies in moderate to poor category- measures like stopping garbage burning in landfills and other places, and enforcing all pollution control regulations in brick kilns and industries would be implemented, an official official said. If the air quality falls in the very poor category, additional measures of stopping use of diesel generator sets, enhancing parking fees 3-4 times and increasing frequency of metro and buses would be implemented, he added. If the air quality falls in the severe category, additional measures would be implemented of increasing frequency of mechanised cleaning of roads, sprinkling of water on roads and identifying road stretches with high dust generation. If the air quality falls to severe plus emergency category, then measures like stopping entry of trucks into Delhi (except essential commodities), stopping construction activities and appointment of task force to take decision on any additional steps, including shutting of schools, are implemented. The measures depending upon the air quality will be implemented from Monday. × Currently the air quality is in the poor category but authorities have predicted that it would reach the 'very poor' category in the next couple of days. In addition to GRAP, the CPCB has also deployed 41 teams across the Delhi NCR to monitor proper implementation of norms enforced to prevent pollution at the source. Till October 11, 96 inspections were conducted by the teams across Delhi NCR and the inspections would intensify in the coming days, a senior CPCB official said. The inspections was started by the two-member team on September 15, he added. Meanwhile, satellite images from the NASA showed rampant stubble burning activity in Punjab and Haryana. The NASA, on its official website, stated that burning of crop residue in Punjab and Haryana has increased significantly over the past 10 days in and near Amritsar, Ambala, Karnal, Sirsa and Hisar. Burning of paddy straw every year during October and November and wheat straw during April in Punjab and Haryana are the major contributors of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, as the smoke travels towards the national capital. In Delhi, it mixes with the fog and creates a toxic smoggy winter every year.

Delhi: Air quality worsens, emergency plan kicks in from Monday

The air quality of Delhi worsened on Saturday and reached the unhealthy&nbsp;category as the national capital woke up to a slightly cold morning.

Anand Vihar's air quality fell into the&nbsp;hazardous category at 407 while pollution reading at Punjabi Bagh stood at 307.

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According to the latest AQI data, Delhi's Anand Vihar is at 699(Hazardous) on Air Quality Index <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AQI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AQI</a> <a href="https://t.co/7f115dNBdb">pic.twitter.com/7f115dNBdb</a>
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According to a report, the air quality of Delhi is expected to further drop as winds coming from the northwestern side is likely to bring toxic pollutants from Haryana and Punjab as the crop burning has begun.

Meanwhile, the minimum temperature dropped to 17.5 degrees Celsius — the lowest minimum in seven years between October 1 and 15, officials in the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

According to IMD the maximum temperature to hit 33.0 Celsius in the day.

The air quality of north India worsens drastically every year during the winter months with smog covering the region due to the burning of paddy straw in Punjab and Haryana in the months of October and November. According to reports, it is one of the major contributors to air pollution in Delhi and its neighbouring cities.

The national capital and its nearby cities become the worst affected areas every year when particles from stubble burning combine with industrial pollution, vehicular emission and dust due to construction.&nbsp;

On Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Imran Hussain expressed concern over the unabated stubble burning noticed in the neighbouring states.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Hussain shared some pictures of burning crop residue in the state surrounding the National Capital Region (NCR), despite the prohibition on the same."It is a matter of deep concern that when such instances are visible even on the National Highway, what might be the situation in other areas of these states?" he tweeted. 
&nbsp;

The air quality of Delhi worsened on Saturday and reached the unhealthy category as the national capital woke up to a slightly cold morning. Anand Vihar's air quality fell into the hazardous category at 407 while pollution reading at Punjabi Bagh stood at 307.

The air quality of Delhi worsened on Saturday and reached the unhealthy category as the national capital woke up to a slightly cold morning. Anand Vihar's air quality fell into the hazardous category at 407 while pollution reading at Punjabi Bagh stood at 307. According to the latest AQI data, Delhi's Anand Vihar is at 699(Hazardous) on Air Quality Index #AQI pic.twitter.com/7f115dNBdb — ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2018 × According to a report, the air quality of Delhi is expected to further drop as winds coming from the northwestern side is likely to bring toxic pollutants from Haryana and Punjab as the crop burning has begun. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature dropped to 17.5 degrees Celsius — the lowest minimum in seven years between October 1 and 15, officials in the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. According to IMD the maximum temperature to hit 33.0 Celsius in the day. The air quality of north India worsens drastically every year during the winter months with smog covering the region due to the burning of paddy straw in Punjab and Haryana in the months of October and November. According to reports, it is one of the major contributors to air pollution in Delhi and its neighbouring cities. The national capital and its nearby cities become the worst affected areas every year when particles from stubble burning combine with industrial pollution, vehicular emission and dust due to construction. On Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Imran Hussain expressed concern over the unabated stubble burning noticed in the neighbouring states. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Hussain shared some pictures of burning crop residue in the state surrounding the National Capital Region (NCR), despite the prohibition on the same."It is a matter of deep concern that when such instances are visible even on the National Highway, what might be the situation in other areas of these states?" he tweeted.

Delhi air quality deteriorates; Anand Vihar in 'hazardous' category with 407 AQI

Fog in Delhi <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/fog-in-delhi-outskirts-continues-to-affect-train-services-32936">continued to affect train services </a>with &nbsp;30 trains arriving late and 10 cancelled due to low visibility or operational reasons. 
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>: 30 trains arriving &nbsp;late, 10 cancelled due to low visibility/ operational reasons.
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/964316748773253120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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During fog, visibility becomes very low and trains have to run at a highly-restricted speed to ensure the safety of the passengers causing considerable delays in their movement.

Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index of Delhi&#39;s central Lodhi Road area continued to remain in the &#39;poor&#39; category.

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Air Quality Index of Delhi&#39;s Lodhi Road area, prominent pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 remain in &#39;poor&#39; category. <a href="https://t.co/Q0mKdCCQ9e">pic.twitter.com/Q0mKdCCQ9e</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/964324323967238144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Thirty trains are arriving late in the national capital

Fog in Delhi continued to affect train services with 30 trains arriving late and 10 cancelled due to low visibility or operational reasons. #Delhi: 30 trains arriving late, 10 cancelled due to low visibility/ operational reasons. — ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2018 × During fog, visibility becomes very low and trains have to run at a highly-restricted speed to ensure the safety of the passengers causing considerable delays in their movement. Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index of Delhi's central Lodhi Road area continued to remain in the 'poor' category. Air Quality Index of Delhi's Lodhi Road area, prominent pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 remain in 'poor' category. pic.twitter.com/Q0mKdCCQ9e — ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2018 ×

Delhi fog continues, 10 trains cancelled

Political apathy over the poisonous smog choking India&#39;s capital has led many like businessman Kamal Meattle to take matters into their own hands, with an office building he says pumps air as fresh as from the Swiss Alps.

From the outside, the Paharpur Business Centre looks like any modern office block. But inside it is a virtual jungle where rooms and corridors are lined with more than 7,000 potted plants and creepers.

The greenhouse terrace, with artificial grass and green walls, houses an &quot;air washing&quot; system that moves polluted outside air through a series of cleaning filters.

It is then pushed through the greenhouse where the plants remove bacteria, fungus, carbon dioxide and other toxins, before the air conditioning pumps it to workers on the floors below.

&quot;It would be like working in Gulmarg in Kashmir or Davos in Switzerland in this building,&quot; 73-year-old Meattle said as he looked out at the smog from the protection of the lush rooftop nursery.

&quot;You are actually right now sitting in an air tank,&quot; he said, referring to the greenhouse where PM2.5 - the most harmful particulates in the air - registered nearly zero compared with 415 outside, according to Paharpur&#39;s monitoring system.

The outside level is more than 16 times the World Health Organization&#39;s safe limit.

&#39;I wanted a solution&#39;

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Employees play at the green house-come-cafeteria at the Paharpur Business Centre in New Delhi. (AFP)
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A Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate and trustee of Al Gore&#39;s Climate Reality Project, Meattle began thinking about a clean office project years ago when he rejected doctors&#39; advice to move away from the polluted capital for his health.

&quot;I wanted a solution for myself and I didn&#39;t want to leave Delhi,&quot; he said.

His centre, whose tenants include Amazon, Samsung and Microsoft, is now rated the city&#39;s healthiest building by the Indian government, and Meattle says people who work there benefit from improved blood oxygen levels, better brain function, and fewer asthma and eye irritation cases.

Delhi chokes every winter as cool air traps a toxic blend of pollutants from crop burning, car exhausts, open fires, construction dust and industrial emissions close to the ground.

The annual scourge has been particularly bad this season, and short-term measures -- such as shutting factories and restricting car use - have failed to have a significant impact.

In November, doctors declared a public health emergency and schools were shut across the capital.

Fumes from backup generators are a central ingredient in the noxious cocktail, but one company is turning them into ink and paint with technology that can capture up to 90 percent of dangerous pollutants.

Chakr Innovations, started by graduates from the Indian Institute of Technology, has capitalised on the smoke-belching machines that can be heard across the city.

Black is the new green

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Beanbags used by Indian employees are pictured in the greenhouse cafeteria at the Paharpur Business Centre in New Delhi. (AFP)
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Its Chakr Shield is fitted to generators and converts carbon and other fine particles, including the most harmful PM0.3 and PM2.5 specks, into liquified soot through chemical and heat-exchanging processes.

The captured carbon is washed down with a solvent and processed into ink pigment and paints.

&quot;What would have otherwise been a waste is captured and reborn to be used as a raw material again,&quot; said co-founder Arpit Dhupar, donning a t-shirt that says &quot;black is the new green&quot;.

Dhupar was inspired by seeing a diesel generator that was running a roadside sugarcane juice stall and turning the wall behind it black in the process.

Chakr has fitted machines at more than 18 Delhi offices, and 30 other companies have signed up for the technology, including US giant Dell Computers, which will be using Chakr&#39;s ink for printing on its cardboard boxes.

Dhupar said that in 18 months, the machines had collected enough carbon to pollute about 1.5 billion litres of air.

&quot;We are running out of clean, breathable air in Delhi and our definitive objective is to make the access to clean air a basic right for everyone,&quot; he said.

Others want to ensure that right extends to animals, including the high-performance ponies that compete on Delhi&#39;s thriving polo circuit.

The Army Polo and Riding Club recently ruled that horses used by the Delhi Army polo team must be allowed twice as many breaks to alleviate the physical stress of playing matches in toxic conditions.

&quot;By sheer logic and the levels of pollution that were there in Delhi we thought that it may cause a problem. The longer the pony plays, the exhaustion is that much higher,&quot; said the club&#39;s chief executive, Colonel Ravi Rathore.

The level of PM2.5 - the most harmful particulates in the air - registered nearly zero inside the Paharpur Business Centre compared with 415 outside.

Political apathy over the poisonous smog choking India's capital has led many like businessman Kamal Meattle to take matters into their own hands, with an office building he says pumps air as fresh as from the Swiss Alps. From the outside, the Paharpur Business Centre looks like any modern office block. But inside it is a virtual jungle where rooms and corridors are lined with more than 7,000 potted plants and creepers. The greenhouse terrace, with artificial grass and green walls, houses an "air washing" system that moves polluted outside air through a series of cleaning filters. It is then pushed through the greenhouse where the plants remove bacteria, fungus, carbon dioxide and other toxins, before the air conditioning pumps it to workers on the floors below. "It would be like working in Gulmarg in Kashmir or Davos in Switzerland in this building," 73-year-old Meattle said as he looked out at the smog from the protection of the lush rooftop nursery. "You are actually right now sitting in an air tank," he said, referring to the greenhouse where PM2.5 - the most harmful particulates in the air - registered nearly zero compared with 415 outside, according to Paharpur's monitoring system. The outside level is more than 16 times the World Health Organization's safe limit. 'I wanted a solution' Employees play at the green house-come-cafeteria at the Paharpur Business Centre in New Delhi. (AFP) × A Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate and trustee of Al Gore's Climate Reality Project, Meattle began thinking about a clean office project years ago when he rejected doctors' advice to move away from the polluted capital for his health. "I wanted a solution for myself and I didn't want to leave Delhi," he said. His centre, whose tenants include Amazon, Samsung and Microsoft, is now rated the city's healthiest building by the Indian government, and Meattle says people who work there benefit from improved blood oxygen levels, better brain function, and fewer asthma and eye irritation cases. Delhi chokes every winter as cool air traps a toxic blend of pollutants from crop burning, car exhausts, open fires, construction dust and industrial emissions close to the ground. The annual scourge has been particularly bad this season, and short-term measures -- such as shutting factories and restricting car use - have failed to have a significant impact. In November, doctors declared a public health emergency and schools were shut across the capital. Fumes from backup generators are a central ingredient in the noxious cocktail, but one company is turning them into ink and paint with technology that can capture up to 90 percent of dangerous pollutants. Chakr Innovations, started by graduates from the Indian Institute of Technology, has capitalised on the smoke-belching machines that can be heard across the city. Black is the new green Beanbags used by Indian employees are pictured in the greenhouse cafeteria at the Paharpur Business Centre in New Delhi. (AFP) × Its Chakr Shield is fitted to generators and converts carbon and other fine particles, including the most harmful PM0.3 and PM2.5 specks, into liquified soot through chemical and heat-exchanging processes. The captured carbon is washed down with a solvent and processed into ink pigment and paints. "What would have otherwise been a waste is captured and reborn to be used as a raw material again," said co-founder Arpit Dhupar, donning a t-shirt that says "black is the new green". Dhupar was inspired by seeing a diesel generator that was running a roadside sugarcane juice stall and turning the wall behind it black in the process. Chakr has fitted machines at more than 18 Delhi offices, and 30 other companies have signed up for the technology, including US giant Dell Computers, which will be using Chakr's ink for printing on its cardboard boxes. Dhupar said that in 18 months, the machines had collected enough carbon to pollute about 1.5 billion litres of air. "We are running out of clean, breathable air in Delhi and our definitive objective is to make the access to clean air a basic right for everyone," he said. Others want to ensure that right extends to animals, including the high-performance ponies that compete on Delhi's thriving polo circuit. The Army Polo and Riding Club recently ruled that horses used by the Delhi Army polo team must be allowed twice as many breaks to alleviate the physical stress of playing matches in toxic conditions. "By sheer logic and the levels of pollution that were there in Delhi we thought that it may cause a problem. The longer the pony plays, the exhaustion is that much higher," said the club's chief executive, Colonel Ravi Rathore.

'It's like working in Switzerland': Inside Delhi's healthiest building

Operations at Delhi airport were briefly suspended today morning as visibility dropped below 50 metres because of heavy fog. Many flights continued to be delayed though.

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Operations at Delhi Airport, temporarily suspended due to low visibility, have now resumed. Many flights continue to be delayed <a href="https://t.co/ofxjjGd6cH">pic.twitter.com/ofxjjGd6cH</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/947691631012061185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The blanket of fog early morning had led to the cancellation of one flight and the delay and rescheduling of trains.

Five domestic and seven International flights were earlier delayed in the morning because of poor visibility.

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Visuals of area around the Indira Gandhi International Airport: Dense fog delays five domestic and seven International flights, one cancelled. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/lqS9xcZoQ8">pic.twitter.com/lqS9xcZoQ8</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/947652697011793920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Fifty-six trains in the national capital were delayed, 20 rescheduled and 15 cancelled due to low visibility in the region.

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Delhi: Passengers stranded at New Delhi Railway Station after trains being delayed/cancelled due to low visibility <a href="https://t.co/daiSu2C5dN">pic.twitter.com/daiSu2C5dN</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/947705191461142528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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On Sunday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/flights-in-delhi-affected-due-to-low-visibility-28151">more than 40 flights were diverted</a> and more than 90 flights were affected at the Delhi airport.&nbsp;

Operations at the airport were on halt until 11 am and were resumed after that.

Decreasing temperatures and &quot;hazardous&quot; and &quot;very unhealthy&quot;&nbsp;levels of air pollution have contributed to the dense fog.

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Delhi&#39;s Shadipur at 332, Siri Fort at 388 (both &#39;Hazardous&#39;), ITO at 182 (Unhealthy), Dwarka at 257 (Very Unhealthy) in Air Quality Index <a href="https://t.co/ypHpXjI9mc">pic.twitter.com/ypHpXjI9mc</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/947660815552856064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Operations at Delhi airport were briefly suspended today morning as visibility dropped below 50 metres because of heavy fog. Many flights continued to be delayed though. Operations at Delhi Airport, temporarily suspended due to low visibility, have now resumed. Many flights continue to be delayed pic.twitter.com/ofxjjGd6cH — ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2018 × The blanket of fog early morning had led to the cancellation of one flight and the delay and rescheduling of trains. Five domestic and seven International flights were earlier delayed in the morning because of poor visibility. Visuals of area around the Indira Gandhi International Airport: Dense fog delays five domestic and seven International flights, one cancelled. #Delhi pic.twitter.com/lqS9xcZoQ8 — ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2018 × Fifty-six trains in the national capital were delayed, 20 rescheduled and 15 cancelled due to low visibility in the region. Delhi: Passengers stranded at New Delhi Railway Station after trains being delayed/cancelled due to low visibility pic.twitter.com/daiSu2C5dN — ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2018 × On Sunday, more than 40 flights were diverted and more than 90 flights were affected at the Delhi airport. Operations at the airport were on halt until 11 am and were resumed after that. Decreasing temperatures and "hazardous" and "very unhealthy" levels of air pollution have contributed to the dense fog. Delhi's Shadipur at 332, Siri Fort at 388 (both 'Hazardous'), ITO at 182 (Unhealthy), Dwarka at 257 (Very Unhealthy) in Air Quality Index pic.twitter.com/ypHpXjI9mc — ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2018 ×

Delhi airport resumes operations after brief shutdown due to fog

The government must take steps on a &quot;war footing&quot; to improve air quality in Delhi and all unscientific development projects and construction works should be stopped immediately as part of initial measures, a Congress MP said on Friday.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Mullappally Ramachandran said Delhi has become one of the most polluted cities globally and the Centre must act with a sense of urgency to deal with the problem.

&quot;It is terrifying to see people wearing masks to protect themselves from pollution, closure of all schools... For any nation, health of its citizens must be precious. The government must act on a war-footing to deal with the situation,&quot; he said.

The MP from Kerala demanded stopping of &quot;all unscientific development projects and construction works immediately&quot; as part of measures to improve the air quality.

He also said the government should also examine how to deal with stubble burning in neighbouring states which is identified as one of the reasons behind increasing levels of pollution in Delhi.

Last month, the city government had ordered all schools to be closed for four days after the capital was engulfed by a thick cover of smog.

The dangerous level of pollution had triggered massive health concerns following which local authorities had announced a series of short term measures like spraying of water from fire trucks to keep pollutants down.

The MP from Kerala demanded stopping of "all unscientific development projects and construction works immediately" as part of measures to improve the air quality.

The government must take steps on a "war footing" to improve air quality in Delhi and all unscientific development projects and construction works should be stopped immediately as part of initial measures, a Congress MP said on Friday. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Mullappally Ramachandran said Delhi has become one of the most polluted cities globally and the Centre must act with a sense of urgency to deal with the problem. "It is terrifying to see people wearing masks to protect themselves from pollution, closure of all schools... For any nation, health of its citizens must be precious. The government must act on a war-footing to deal with the situation," he said. The MP from Kerala demanded stopping of "all unscientific development projects and construction works immediately" as part of measures to improve the air quality. He also said the government should also examine how to deal with stubble burning in neighbouring states which is identified as one of the reasons behind increasing levels of pollution in Delhi. Last month, the city government had ordered all schools to be closed for four days after the capital was engulfed by a thick cover of smog. The dangerous level of pollution had triggered massive health concerns following which local authorities had announced a series of short term measures like spraying of water from fire trucks to keep pollutants down.

Delhi pollution raised in Lok Sabha, Congress MP asks for Centre's intervention

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government today tested an anti-smog gun, a device that sprays atomised water into the atmosphere in a bid to control dust particulate matter and tackle the poor levels of pollution in the national capital.

The anti-smog gun was connected to a water tank and mounted on a vehicle which will enable&nbsp;it to be carried across the city to spray water to settle dust and other suspended particles.

The anti-smog gun was tested at Anand Vihar, one of the most polluted areas in Delhi, this morning. The Air Quality Index, a parameter of determnining air pollution, in the locality situated at the Delhi border was at a &quot;hazardous&quot; 414, ANI reported.

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Delhi: Anti-smog gun being tested near Anand Vihar Bus Station. Anand Vihar&#39;s AQI presently &#39;Hazardous&#39; at 414 (source AQICN) <a href="https://t.co/crA2331tlk">pic.twitter.com/crA2331tlk</a>
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&nbsp;

On December 18, &nbsp;in a meeting to review the detailed action plan of agencies and stakeholders on measures to combat air pollution, environment secretary Anil Kumar Singh apprised Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal of the trial run of the anti-smog gun.

In the meeting, the Lt Governor directed authorities to ensure management of municipal solid waste completely in a time frame of 16 months.

The lieutenant governor also directed all three corporations to ensure that no methane fires occur at the three landfill sites. The L-G also asked all three municipal commissioners to procure requisite mechanical sweepers, litter pickers, water sprinklers within a stipulated time.

Pollution-levels in Delhi remain poor in winters because of the rapid drop in temperatures and stubble burning in the adjoining states of Punjab and Haryana.

This year has been no exception.&nbsp;

This morning, The Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 and PM 10, indexes of air pollution, remained in the &quot;poor&quot; category in Delhi&#39;s Lodhi Road area. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The device will spray atomised water into the atmosphere in a bid to control dust particulate matter and tackle the poor levels of pollution in the national capital.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government today tested an anti-smog gun, a device that sprays atomised water into the atmosphere in a bid to control dust particulate matter and tackle the poor levels of pollution in the national capital. The anti-smog gun was connected to a water tank and mounted on a vehicle which will enable it to be carried across the city to spray water to settle dust and other suspended particles. The anti-smog gun was tested at Anand Vihar, one of the most polluted areas in Delhi, this morning. The Air Quality Index, a parameter of determnining air pollution, in the locality situated at the Delhi border was at a "hazardous" 414, ANI reported. Delhi: Anti-smog gun being tested near Anand Vihar Bus Station. Anand Vihar's AQI presently 'Hazardous' at 414 (source AQICN) pic.twitter.com/crA2331tlk — ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2017 × On December 18, in a meeting to review the detailed action plan of agencies and stakeholders on measures to combat air pollution, environment secretary Anil Kumar Singh apprised Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal of the trial run of the anti-smog gun. In the meeting, the Lt Governor directed authorities to ensure management of municipal solid waste completely in a time frame of 16 months. The lieutenant governor also directed all three corporations to ensure that no methane fires occur at the three landfill sites. The L-G also asked all three municipal commissioners to procure requisite mechanical sweepers, litter pickers, water sprinklers within a stipulated time. Pollution-levels in Delhi remain poor in winters because of the rapid drop in temperatures and stubble burning in the adjoining states of Punjab and Haryana. This year has been no exception. This morning, The Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 and PM 10, indexes of air pollution, remained in the "poor" category in Delhi's Lodhi Road area. (With inputs from agencies)

Delhi government tests anti-smog gun

The Delhi government may use anti-smog guns to try and bring down pollution levels.

To test the efficacy of the move, a trial was conducted Monday.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;gun&nbsp;sprays atomised water into the air, which then helps bring down pollution.&nbsp;

The gun is connected to a water tanker and can be transported around the city.

The trial on Monday evening was conducted at the Delhi Secretariat.

Officials said the&nbsp;gun can spray water up to a height of 50 metres.&nbsp;

Environment Secretary Anil Kumar Singh apprised Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal of the trial run during a meeting to review the detailed action plans of agencies and stakeholders to combat air pollution.

&quot;The plan should cover a time-frame not exceeding 16 months and also indicate the exact requirement of funds. The chief secretary has been asked to coordinate and finalise it,&quot; the LG&#39;s office said in a statement.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Environment Minister Imran Hussain also attended the trial run.&nbsp;

Another trial will be conducted Wednesday at Anand Vihar ISBT.&nbsp;

The gun, if the authorities decided to buy it, will cost around Rs 20 lakh a piece.&nbsp;

The?gun?sprays atomised water into the air, which then helps bring down pollution

The Delhi government may use anti-smog guns to try and bring down pollution levels. To test the efficacy of the move, a trial was conducted Monday. The gun sprays atomised water into the air, which then helps bring down pollution. The gun is connected to a water tanker and can be transported around the city. The trial on Monday evening was conducted at the Delhi Secretariat. Officials said the gun can spray water up to a height of 50 metres. Environment Secretary Anil Kumar Singh apprised Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal of the trial run during a meeting to review the detailed action plans of agencies and stakeholders to combat air pollution. "The plan should cover a time-frame not exceeding 16 months and also indicate the exact requirement of funds. The chief secretary has been asked to coordinate and finalise it," the LG's office said in a statement. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Environment Minister Imran Hussain also attended the trial run. Another trial will be conducted Wednesday at Anand Vihar ISBT. The gun, if the authorities decided to buy it, will cost around Rs 20 lakh a piece.

Delhi government mulls use of anti-smog guns to fight pollution

Lifting&nbsp;the ban put on cement industry in Delhi, the&nbsp;supreme&nbsp;court has allowed the use of&nbsp;petcoke in these industries.

The cement industry can now use petcoke&nbsp;as feedstock.

The court had imposed the ban on the cement industry&nbsp;in November.

The ban was&nbsp;put&nbsp;to keep a check&nbsp;on the&nbsp;level of&nbsp;pollutants in the air.&nbsp;

Justice Madan Bhimrao Lokur has issued the exemption order for cement units.&nbsp;

While he also asked the government to frame guidelines for the use of petcoke.

Delhi NCR experienced severe air pollution during the last month. The level of pollutants increased due to stubble burning from neighbouring states.The government along with NGT issued several restrictive&nbsp;measures to improve the quality of air.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The court had imposed the ban on the cement industry?in November

Lifting the ban put on cement industry in Delhi, the supreme court has allowed the use of petcoke in these industries. The cement industry can now use petcoke as feedstock. The court had imposed the ban on the cement industry in November. The ban was put to keep a check on the level of pollutants in the air. Justice Madan Bhimrao Lokur has issued the exemption order for cement units. While he also asked the government to frame guidelines for the use of petcoke. Delhi NCR experienced severe air pollution during the last month. The level of pollutants increased due to stubble burning from neighbouring states.The government along with NGT issued several restrictive measures to improve the quality of air.

As pollution level reduces in Delhi, Supreme Court allows use of petcoke in cement industry

The recently published UNICEF press release emphasises the debilitating effects of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/topic/air-pollution#" target="_blank">air pollution</a> on human health. The official release opens by stating that &quot;17 million babies under the age of 1 breathe toxic air, the majority -- 12 million -- live in South Asia&quot;. &quot;UNICEF urges immediate action to reduce air pollution amid emerging evidence on how toxic air can affect brain development in young children,&quot; the release notes. The paper further explains how air pollution can harm kids exposing them to health hazards like cognitive impairment, brain-tissue damage among others.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Not only do pollutants harm babies&rsquo; developing lungs &ndash; they can permanently damage their developing brains &ndash; and, thus, their futures,&rdquo; said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. &nbsp;&ldquo;Protecting children from air pollution, not only benefits children. It also benefits their societies &ndash; realized in reduced health care costs, increased productivity and a safer, cleaner environment for everyone,&rdquo; Lake added.&nbsp;

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South Asia is home to the largest number of babies -- 12.2 million -- living in the worst-affected areas where outdoor air pollution exceeds six times international limits set by the World Health Organization. The East Asia and Pacific region, on the other hand, has 4.3 million babies living in areas that exceed six times the standard pollution limit.

The UNICEF release highlighted the significance of clean air stating it as an equally important factor in a child&#39;s overall development as proper nutrition, &quot;air pollution, like inadequate nutrition and stimulation, and exposure to violence is critical during the first 1,000 days of life, and can impact children&rsquo;s early childhood development by affecting their growing brains,&quot; noted the release.&nbsp;

With a series of reports emerging and establishing India&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhis-air-quality-back-to-hazardous-poor-especially-during-morning-hours-25511" target="_blank">capital city as one of the highly polluted in the world</a>, residents living here seem to get no respite from the worsening air quality. At the time of writing this story, air quality at various areas in the city swung between &#39;severe&#39; and &#39;hazardous&#39;.&nbsp;

The UNICEF release highlighted the significance of clean air stating it as an equally important factor in a child's overall development

The recently published UNICEF press release emphasises the debilitating effects of air pollution on human health. The official release opens by stating that "17 million babies under the age of 1 breathe toxic air, the majority -- 12 million -- live in South Asia". "UNICEF urges immediate action to reduce air pollution amid emerging evidence on how toxic air can affect brain development in young children," the release notes. The paper further explains how air pollution can harm kids exposing them to health hazards like cognitive impairment, brain-tissue damage among others. “Not only do pollutants harm babies’ developing lungs – they can permanently damage their developing brains – and, thus, their futures,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “Protecting children from air pollution, not only benefits children. It also benefits their societies – realized in reduced health care costs, increased productivity and a safer, cleaner environment for everyone,” Lake added. South Asia is home to the largest number of babies -- 12.2 million -- living in the worst-affected areas where outdoor air pollution exceeds six times international limits set by the World Health Organization. The East Asia and Pacific region, on the other hand, has 4.3 million babies living in areas that exceed six times the standard pollution limit. The UNICEF release highlighted the significance of clean air stating it as an equally important factor in a child's overall development as proper nutrition, "air pollution, like inadequate nutrition and stimulation, and exposure to violence is critical during the first 1,000 days of life, and can impact children’s early childhood development by affecting their growing brains," noted the release. With a series of reports emerging and establishing India's capital city as one of the highly polluted in the world, residents living here seem to get no respite from the worsening air quality. At the time of writing this story, air quality at various areas in the city swung between 'severe' and 'hazardous'.

Parents, take note! Air pollution may permanently damage your kid's brain, says UNICEF

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-is-ayodhya-case-related-to-2019-elections-pm-modi-asks-kapil-sibal-26043" target="_blank">How is Ayodhya case related to 2019 elections? PM Modi asks Kapil Sibal in Gujarat election rally</a>

While addressing a rally in Gujarat&#39;s Dhandhuka, Prime minister Narendra Modi has said that he has no objection to Kapil Sibal representing the Muslim community in Ayodhya case. However, he questioned how is the case connected to Lok Sabha elections.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-exemption-in-odd-even-scheme-delhi-governments-pollution-action-plan-to-ngt-26038" target="_blank">&#39;No exemption&#39; in odd-even scheme: Delhi government&#39;s pollution action plan to NGT</a>

The Delhi government today&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/oxygen-chamber-in-gurgaon-a-respite-from-pollution-25018">told the National Green Tribunal(NGT)</a>&nbsp;that there would be no exemption&nbsp;for vehicles in the odd-even scheme when it implemented next time. The Kejriwal government submitted its&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-pollution-children-are-inhaling-cigarette-the-moment-they-are-born-24287">action plan to combat pollution</a>&nbsp;in the national capital.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-move-to-recognise-jerusalem-as-capital-of-israel-will-lead-to-escalation-of-tension-china-26028" target="_blank">Jerusalem status: &#39;Concerned about possible escalation of tension,&#39; says China</a>

China said today US President Donald Trump&#39;s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would lead to &quot;possible escalation of tensions&quot;. Britain which is the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-tells-mideast-leaders-he-will-move-embassy-to-jerusalem-breaking-with-us-policy-25980">principal ally of the United States&nbsp;</a>expressed &quot;concern&quot; and said Jerusalem should be part of the &quot;final settlement between the Israelis&nbsp;and the Palestinians&quot;&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-franchises-allowed-to-retain-5-players-26046" target="_blank">IPL franchises allowed to retain 5 players: Rajeev Shukla</a>

Providing a long-pending solution to the Indian Premier League (IPL) teams to retain their big players, the governing council on Wednesday announced that the franchises can retain a maximum of five players by virtue of a combination of pre-auction retention and Right To Match (RTM) cards for the upcoming 2018 edition.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/metoo-time-magazine-announces-silence-breakers-as-person-of-the-year-26051" target="_blank">#Metoo: Time magazine announces &#39;Silence breakers&#39; as &#39;Person of the Year&#39;</a>

Time Magazine&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/asians-featured-on-time-magazine-cover-page-as-person-of-the-year-589#photo-30703">has designated &quot;silence breakers</a>&quot;&nbsp;who triggered the sexual harassment revelations as &quot;Person of the Year&quot;. Time magazine publishes the &quot;Person of the Year&quot; on 6th December every year. It has decided to bring the&nbsp;Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment case into focus this year.&nbsp;

How is Ayodhya case related to 2019 elections? PM Modi asks Kapil Sibal in Gujarat election rally While addressing a rally in Gujarat's Dhandhuka, Prime minister Narendra Modi has said that he has no objection to Kapil Sibal representing the Muslim community in Ayodhya case. However, he questioned how is the case connected to Lok Sabha elections. 'No exemption' in odd-even scheme: Delhi government's pollution action plan to NGT The Delhi government today told the National Green Tribunal(NGT) that there would be no exemption for vehicles in the odd-even scheme when it implemented next time. The Kejriwal government submitted its action plan to combat pollution in the national capital. Jerusalem status: 'Concerned about possible escalation of tension,' says China China said today US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would lead to "possible escalation of tensions". Britain which is the principal ally of the United States expressed "concern" and said Jerusalem should be part of the "final settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians" IPL franchises allowed to retain 5 players: Rajeev Shukla Providing a long-pending solution to the Indian Premier League (IPL) teams to retain their big players, the governing council on Wednesday announced that the franchises can retain a maximum of five players by virtue of a combination of pre-auction retention and Right To Match (RTM) cards for the upcoming 2018 edition. #Metoo: Time magazine announces 'Silence breakers' as 'Person of the Year' Time Magazine has designated "silence breakers" who triggered the sexual harassment revelations as "Person of the Year". Time magazine publishes the "Person of the Year" on 6th December every year. It has decided to bring the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment case into focus this year.

WION Evening News brief, 6 December, 2017

Minutes after giving <a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/india-vs-sri-lanka-day-4-suranga-lakmal-vomits-on-field-walks-off-25918">India its first breakthrough by dismissing </a>opener Sadeera Samarawickrama in the second innings of the third and final Test match on Tuesday, Indian paceman Mohammed Shami &quot;felt uneasy&quot;&nbsp;and called for medical help.

The right-arm bowler was seen holding his chest and started vomiting.&nbsp;

Although the exact reason behind Shami&#39;s illness is not confirmed, it is being widely assumed that it&nbsp;might have happened due to the prevailing smog condition in the national capital.

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Oh dear, in the midst of a excellent spell Mohd Shami is throwing up too
&mdash; Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/937993184327614464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Earlier in the day, Sri Lankan paceman Suranga Lakmal had&nbsp;vomited on the field due to smog.

The Lankan team had stopped play thrice on Day-2 of the Test match on Sunday due to smog with several Lankan players wearing masks.&nbsp;

Lankan coach Pothas had said his team was feeling physically sick amid the &quot;extremely high&quot; pollution levels choking the ground.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lankan paceman Suranga Lakmal also vomited on the field

Minutes after giving India its first breakthrough by dismissing opener Sadeera Samarawickrama in the second innings of the third and final Test match on Tuesday, Indian paceman Mohammed Shami "felt uneasy" and called for medical help. The right-arm bowler was seen holding his chest and started vomiting. Although the exact reason behind Shami's illness is not confirmed, it is being widely assumed that it might have happened due to the prevailing smog condition in the national capital. Oh dear, in the midst of a excellent spell Mohd Shami is throwing up too — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 5, 2017 × Earlier in the day, Sri Lankan paceman Suranga Lakmal had vomited on the field due to smog. The Lankan team had stopped play thrice on Day-2 of the Test match on Sunday due to smog with several Lankan players wearing masks. Lankan coach Pothas had said his team was feeling physically sick amid the "extremely high" pollution levels choking the ground.

Delhi Test match: After Lakmal, Indian paceman Mohammed Shami vomits on field

Dinesh Chandimal scored 164 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 373 in their first innings against India on day four of the pollution-hit third Test in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The visitors, who started the day on 356-9, conceded a 163-run lead after Ishant got skipper Chandimal caught on another hazy morning at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.

The final Test had been marred by Sri Lanka protests over bad air on Sunday.

New Delhi suffered another bad day of pollution on Tuesday, but the play was not disrupted.

Dinesh Chandimal scored 164 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 373 in their first innings against India on day four of the pollution-hit third Test in New Delhi on Tuesday. The visitors, who started the day on 356-9, conceded a 163-run lead after Ishant got skipper Chandimal caught on another hazy morning at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium. The final Test had been marred by Sri Lanka protests over bad air on Sunday. New Delhi suffered another bad day of pollution on Tuesday, but the play was not disrupted.

3rd Test, Day 4: Sri Lanka all out for 373, concede 163-run lead to India

The National Green Tribunal slammed the Delhi government Monday for not filing an action plan to curb air pollution.&nbsp;

&quot;Where is your action plan? Why have you not submitted it? What can we do if you keep on changing everybody? It&#39;s not our problem if people don&#39;t want to stick to you,&quot; PTI reported a bench headed by NGT chairperson as saying.&nbsp;

&quot;You keep on doing meetings but tell us a single action or step you have taken in the last four days to combat air pollution,&quot; the bench said.

The NGT also slammed the government for letting the India-Sri Lanka Test go ahead.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/3rd-test-play-halted-twice-due-to-pollution-lanka-players-wear-masks-while-fielding-25729" target="_blank">Pollution halts play three times, Lanka players wear masks while fielding</a>

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/cricketers-vomiting-after-playing-in-polluted-delhi-sri-lanka-coach-25769" target="_blank">Cricketers vomiting after playing in polluted Delhi, says Sri Lanka coach</a>

&quot;Every newspaper has been carrying headline that the air pollution was going to be higher this week. Still you took no action. Even the players were playing match wearing masks. You should have not held the match if the air quality was so bad. Are people of Delhi supposed to bear this?&quot; PTI reported the bench as saying.&nbsp;

The bench also pulled up the city government for not introducing the odd-even car scheme considering the air quality is so bad.&nbsp;

The NGT had recently put a stop to all construction activity and the entry of trucks into the city.&nbsp;

It had however refused to allow any exemptions to women drivers, two-wheeler users, and government servants in the odd-even scheme which the Delhi government had wanted to roll out.&nbsp;

As a result, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government had decided against rolling out the scheme.&nbsp;

The National Green Tribunal slammed the Delhi government on Monday for not filing an action plan to curb pollution

The National Green Tribunal slammed the Delhi government Monday for not filing an action plan to curb air pollution. "Where is your action plan? Why have you not submitted it? What can we do if you keep on changing everybody? It's not our problem if people don't want to stick to you," PTI reported a bench headed by NGT chairperson as saying. "You keep on doing meetings but tell us a single action or step you have taken in the last four days to combat air pollution," the bench said. The NGT also slammed the government for letting the India-Sri Lanka Test go ahead. Also read: Pollution halts play three times, Lanka players wear masks while fielding Also read: Cricketers vomiting after playing in polluted Delhi, says Sri Lanka coach "Every newspaper has been carrying headline that the air pollution was going to be higher this week. Still you took no action. Even the players were playing match wearing masks. You should have not held the match if the air quality was so bad. Are people of Delhi supposed to bear this?" PTI reported the bench as saying. The bench also pulled up the city government for not introducing the odd-even car scheme considering the air quality is so bad. The NGT had recently put a stop to all construction activity and the entry of trucks into the city. It had however refused to allow any exemptions to women drivers, two-wheeler users, and government servants in the odd-even scheme which the Delhi government had wanted to roll out. As a result, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government had decided against rolling out the scheme.

Air is so bad, why have you not rolled out odd-even scheme? NGT asks Delhi government

The air quality in Delhi has been deteriorating for four consecutive days, and on Tuesday the levels of AQI reached&nbsp;362 in the national capital. The weather department has warned that the &#39;very poor&#39; air quality will deteriorate further in coming days.

The Delhi government has issued a health advisory and has asked people to stay indoors while they plan to take &#39;harsh measures&#39;. &nbsp;

Officials say that the peak in poor air quality is a result of low moisture and lack of winds in Delhi, PTI reports.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/opinion-delhi-chokes-lets-turn-to-hills-24996">Delhi chokes, let&#39;s turn to hills</a>

As per reports by SAFAR, an agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, PM2.5 and PM10 levels will rise over the next three days.

Officials have also said that area near the Delhi Technical University recorded the highest air quality on Tuesday with an AQI of 422.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/33-trains-delayed-and-three-cancelled-due-to-low-visibility-in-delhi-25073">Several trains have also been cancelled</a>, delayed and rescheduled due&nbsp;to low visibility in Delhi in the past week.&nbsp;

Union environment secretary CK Mishra said: &quot;As a government, we are determined to not let this (smog episode) happen again, which may mean taking harsh measures, and there will be (such measures). Because, we care for lives and we cannot ignore that aspect,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

According to SAFAR, an agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, PM2.5 and PM10 levels will rise further over the next three days

The air quality in Delhi has been deteriorating for four consecutive days, and on Tuesday the levels of AQI reached 362 in the national capital. The weather department has warned that the 'very poor' air quality will deteriorate further in coming days. The Delhi government has issued a health advisory and has asked people to stay indoors while they plan to take 'harsh measures'. Officials say that the peak in poor air quality is a result of low moisture and lack of winds in Delhi, PTI reports. Also read: Delhi chokes, let's turn to hills As per reports by SAFAR, an agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, PM2.5 and PM10 levels will rise over the next three days. Officials have also said that area near the Delhi Technical University recorded the highest air quality on Tuesday with an AQI of 422. Several trains have also been cancelled, delayed and rescheduled due to low visibility in Delhi in the past week. Union environment secretary CK Mishra said: "As a government, we are determined to not let this (smog episode) happen again, which may mean taking harsh measures, and there will be (such measures). Because, we care for lives and we cannot ignore that aspect," he said.

Delhi: Air quality 'very poor', will deteriorate further, says Met

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