<p>The smog that has enveloped Delhi-NCR for the past two days has led to severe spike in the levels of particulate matters which can&nbsp;cause allergies or aggravate already existing allergies and decrease lung immunity.</p>

<p>The PM2.5 and PM10 levels at Lodhi Road on Wednesday afternoon was 500, way above the prescribed safety limit of 60. The weather department has predicted similar situation to prevail on Thursday as well.</p>

<p>Doctors have issued a health advisory asking people to avoid outdoor activities like jogging and cycling. They say&nbsp;such a high level of air pollution&nbsp;can cause stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases.</p>

<p>&quot;A thick blanket of smog has engulfed Delhi-NCR, and many areas of Punjab and Haryana. This is going to continue for the next three days. The smog is a result of moisture in the air and very low wind speed,&quot; said Dr K Sathi Devi, a weather scientist.</p>

<p>Many people are complaining of burning sensation in their eyes and difficulty in breathing.</p>

<p>Vikas Maurya, senior consultant at Fortis,&nbsp;suggested that air purifying plants like Aloe Vera, Ivy and Spider Plant should be kept at home and in offices.</p>

<p>Fruits rich in Vitamin C, magnesium, omega fatty acids should be consumed more to fight any allergy or infection, he added.</p>

<p>The air quality deteriorated on Tuesday with visibility levels dropping sharply. The low visibility affected flight services and movement of trains.</p>

<p>Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to the Centre seeking appointment with Union health minister. Kejriwal has termed Delhi a &#39;gas chamber&#39;.</p>


The smog that has enveloped Delhi-NCR for the past two days has led to severe spike in the levels of particulate matters which can cause allergies or aggravate already existing allergies and decrease lung immunity.

The smog that has enveloped Delhi-NCR for the past two days has led to severe spike in the levels of particulate matters which can cause allergies or aggravate already existing allergies and decrease lung immunity. The PM2.5 and PM10 levels at Lodhi Road on Wednesday afternoon was 500, way above the prescribed safety limit of 60. The weather department has predicted similar situation to prevail on Thursday as well. Doctors have issued a health advisory asking people to avoid outdoor activities like jogging and cycling. They say such a high level of air pollution can cause stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases. "A thick blanket of smog has engulfed Delhi-NCR, and many areas of Punjab and Haryana. This is going to continue for the next three days. The smog is a result of moisture in the air and very low wind speed," said Dr K Sathi Devi, a weather scientist. Many people are complaining of burning sensation in their eyes and difficulty in breathing. Vikas Maurya, senior consultant at Fortis, suggested that air purifying plants like Aloe Vera, Ivy and Spider Plant should be kept at home and in offices. Fruits rich in Vitamin C, magnesium, omega fatty acids should be consumed more to fight any allergy or infection, he added. The air quality deteriorated on Tuesday with visibility levels dropping sharply. The low visibility affected flight services and movement of trains. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to the Centre seeking appointment with Union health minister. Kejriwal has termed Delhi a 'gas chamber'.

Pollution levels: Here's how smog can harm you in 'gas chamber' Delhi

<p>Heavy&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-pollution-public-health-emergency-primary-schools-to-remain-closed-today-23699" target="_blank">smog in Delhi</a>&nbsp;led to at least ten&nbsp;vehicles colliding on the Yamuna Expressway highway, near Delhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The cars crashed due to low visibility.&nbsp;Several people were&nbsp;injured in the collision.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The incident occurred&nbsp;in&nbsp;Gautam Buddha Nagar&#39;s Dankaur area.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Uttar Pradesh: Ten vehicles collide on Yamuna Expressway in Gautam Buddha Nagar&#39;s Dankaur due to thick fog, several people injured. <a href="https://t.co/4XtC6M8OcU">pic.twitter.com/4XtC6M8OcU</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/928183157051895808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Delhi-NCR has been&nbsp;experiencing low visibility due to the dense smog over the city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has asked officials to shut down&nbsp;all schools till Sunday due to the worsening air quality in the national capital.</p>

<p>The deputy CM had said on Tuesday that if the pollution worsened then the odd-even number scheme for private vehicles will be back in Delhi.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>.&nbsp;</p>

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Heavy smog in Delhi led to at least ten vehicles colliding on the Yamuna Expressway highway, near Delhi. The cars crashed due to low visibility. Several people were injured in the collision. The incident occurred in Gautam Buddha Nagar's Dankaur area. Uttar Pradesh: Ten vehicles collide on Yamuna Expressway in Gautam Buddha Nagar's Dankaur due to thick fog, several people injured. pic.twitter.com/4XtC6M8OcU — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 8, 2017 × Delhi-NCR has been experiencing low visibility due to the dense smog over the city. Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has asked officials to shut down all schools till Sunday due to the worsening air quality in the national capital. The deputy CM had said on Tuesday that if the pollution worsened then the odd-even number scheme for private vehicles will be back in Delhi. .

Watch: 10 cars collide on Yamuna Expressway due to smog, several injured

<p>As pollution level in Delhi rose&nbsp;to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-medical-association-writes-to-delhi-cm-asking-him-to-cancel-airtel-delhi-half-marathon-23638">alarming levels, the state government swung into action</a> with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asking&nbsp;Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia to shut down schools in the national capital.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Considering high level of pollution, I have requested Sh Manish Sisodia, Education Minister, to consider closing schools for a few days</p>
&mdash; Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal/status/927801127705370624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>A thick blanket of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-wakes-up-to-hazardous-smog-23655">smog engulfed Delhi and its adjoining areas on Tuesday</a> morning, with visibility dropping drastically. Many flights and trains were delayed as a result.</p>

<p>The Indian Medical Association (IMA) declared it&nbsp;a public health emergency and suggested schools to be to shut down&nbsp;and cancellation of the&nbsp;upcoming half marathon saying consequences of poor quality&nbsp;for runners could be &quot;disastrous&quot;.</p>

<p>The US embassy website said that levels of the fine pollutants, known as PM2.5 which are most harmful to health, reached 703 which was well over double the threshold of 300 that authorities term as &quot;hazardous&quot;.</p>

<p>According to the&nbsp;Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), emissions are trapped in the environment due to high levels of moisture in the air and lack of wind.</p>

<p>&quot;Total calm conditions, marked by the complete absence of wind, has led to the situation,&quot;&nbsp; said Dipankar Saha, a senior executive, CPCB.</p>

<p>While an Air Quality Index between 0-50 considered good, Delhi&rsquo;s average AQI was 411 at 9 am (local time) on Tuesday morning, which is close to &quot;severe&quot;. According to the IMD, visibility also took a plunge and it was way below 200 metres.</p>

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<p>On Tuesday, the air quality index, which measures the concentration of poisonous particulate matter in the air, hit the &quot;severe&quot; level of 451 on a scale where the maximum reading is 500 and where anything above 100 is considered unhealthy by the CPCB (Reuters,ANI)</p>
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<p>People took to Twitter to express their concern as smog levels increased in Delhi.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi has become a gas chamber. Every year this happens during this part of year. We have to find a soln to crop burning in adjoining states</p>
&mdash; Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal/status/927785134803136512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi Gurgaon Toll <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DelhiSmog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DelhiSmog</a> <a href="https://t.co/8qlLEw3ZQG">pic.twitter.com/8qlLEw3ZQG</a></p>
&mdash; HOI143 (@HOI143) <a href="https://twitter.com/HOI143/status/927777948806946816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A dense smog covers Delhi today . Govt should declare emergency &amp; shut down schools &amp; colleges, construction work, factories. <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a></p>
&mdash; Abhinav Prakash (@Abhina_Prakash) <a href="https://twitter.com/Abhina_Prakash/status/927703702651125760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thick <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Smog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Smog</a> In Delhi. This Must Have Been Caused By People Celebrating Diwali By Bursting Crackers Last Night. Shame. Ban Diwali. ?????? <a href="https://t.co/GGQapfhepu">pic.twitter.com/GGQapfhepu</a></p>
&mdash; Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) <a href="https://twitter.com/SirJadeja/status/927771222460346368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi&#39;s Air quality against Hyderabad&#39;s almost at same <a href="https://t.co/Cc58feJvw1">https://t.co/Cc58feJvw1</a> of it you can figure it out <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Smog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Smog</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pollution?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pollution</a> <a href="https://t.co/RrTZ0d6Boz">pic.twitter.com/RrTZ0d6Boz</a></p>
&mdash; Ashutosh Tiwari (@ashutaa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashutaa/status/927709486575259648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is 8am in Noida. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhismog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhismog</a><br />
Regret sending my child to school. <a href="https://t.co/ZSMB54K1vr">pic.twitter.com/ZSMB54K1vr</a></p>
&mdash; Tavleen Singh Aroor (@Tavysingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tavysingh/status/927757433354706944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Other states - aur kya chal rha h??<br />
<br />
Delhi - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/smog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#smog</a> chal rha h !!!! <a href="https://t.co/0qNrDJ3D3y">pic.twitter.com/0qNrDJ3D3y</a></p>
&mdash; ?????? (@i_upasana) <a href="https://twitter.com/i_upasana/status/927757396172333056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


A thick blanket of smog engulfed Delhi and its adjoining areas on Tuesday morning, with visibility dropping drastically.

As pollution level in Delhi rose to alarming levels, the state government swung into action with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asking Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia to shut down schools in the national capital. Considering high level of pollution, I have requested Sh Manish Sisodia, Education Minister, to consider closing schools for a few days — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 7, 2017 × A thick blanket of smog engulfed Delhi and its adjoining areas on Tuesday morning, with visibility dropping drastically. Many flights and trains were delayed as a result. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) declared it a public health emergency and suggested schools to be to shut down and cancellation of the upcoming half marathon saying consequences of poor quality for runners could be "disastrous". The US embassy website said that levels of the fine pollutants, known as PM2.5 which are most harmful to health, reached 703 which was well over double the threshold of 300 that authorities term as "hazardous". According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), emissions are trapped in the environment due to high levels of moisture in the air and lack of wind. "Total calm conditions, marked by the complete absence of wind, has led to the situation," said Dipankar Saha, a senior executive, CPCB. While an Air Quality Index between 0-50 considered good, Delhi’s average AQI was 411 at 9 am (local time) on Tuesday morning, which is close to "severe". According to the IMD, visibility also took a plunge and it was way below 200 metres. On Tuesday, the air quality index, which measures the concentration of poisonous particulate matter in the air, hit the "severe" level of 451 on a scale where the maximum reading is 500 and where anything above 100 is considered unhealthy by the CPCB (Reuters,ANI) × People took to Twitter to express their concern as smog levels increased in Delhi. Delhi has become a gas chamber. Every year this happens during this part of year. We have to find a soln to crop burning in adjoining states — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 7, 2017 × Delhi Gurgaon Toll #DelhiSmog pic.twitter.com/8qlLEw3ZQG — HOI143 (@HOI143) November 7, 2017 × A dense smog covers Delhi today . Govt should declare emergency & shut down schools & colleges, construction work, factories. @narendramodi — Abhinav Prakash (@Abhina_Prakash) November 7, 2017 × Thick #Smog In Delhi. This Must Have Been Caused By People Celebrating Diwali By Bursting Crackers Last Night. Shame. Ban Diwali. ?????? pic.twitter.com/GGQapfhepu — Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) November 7, 2017 × Delhi's Air quality against Hyderabad's almost at same https://t.co/Cc58feJvw1 of it you can figure it out #Delhi #Smog #Pollution pic.twitter.com/RrTZ0d6Boz — Ashutosh Tiwari (@ashutaa) November 7, 2017 × This is 8am in Noida. #Delhismog Regret sending my child to school. pic.twitter.com/ZSMB54K1vr — Tavleen Singh Aroor (@Tavysingh) November 7, 2017 × Other states - aur kya chal rha h?? Delhi - #smog chal rha h !!!! pic.twitter.com/0qNrDJ3D3y — ?????? (@i_upasana) November 7, 2017 ×

Shut down schools for few days over high pollution level: Chief minister Kejriwal to Manish Sisodia

<p>New Delhi woke up to a choking blanket of smog on Tuesday as air quality in the world&#39;s most polluted capital city reached hazardous levels.</p>

<p>The US embassy website said levels of the fine pollutants known as PM2.5 that are most harmful to health reached 703&nbsp;well over double the threshold of 300 which authorities class as hazardous.</p>

<p>&quot;The moment I stepped out of my home I started coughing and there was a burning sensation in my eyes,&quot; said Naresh Yadav, a bank employee, as he walked to work in central Delhi.</p>

<p>&quot;The government can&#39;t solve this problem alone, people need to pitch in and help the government to protect the environment.&quot;</p>

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<h5>Delhi&#39;s air quality typically worsens ahead of the onset of winter as cooler air traps pollutants near the ground, preventing them from dispersing into the atmosphere, a phenomenon known as inversion</h5>
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<p>Delhi&#39;s air quality typically worsens ahead of the onset of winter as cooler air traps pollutants near the ground, preventing them from dispersing into the atmosphere, a phenomenon known as inversion.</p>

<p>Firecrackers set off to celebrate the Diwali festival of lights in the city add to the toxic mix created by pollution from diesel engines, coal-fired power plants and industrial emissions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The problem is further exacerbated by the burning of crop stubble by farmers after the harvest in north India, a practice that remains commonplace despite an official ban.</p>

<p>India&#39;s Central Pollution Control Board said high levels of moisture in the air and a lack of wind meant emissions had become trapped in the environment.</p>

<p>&quot;Total calm conditions, marked by the complete absence of wind, has led to the situation,&quot; Dipankar Saha, a senior executive with the board, told the Press Trust of India news agency.</p>

<p>&quot;The moisture has trapped emissions from ground-level sources.&quot;</p>

<p>The hashtag #smog was the top trending topic on Twitter early Tuesday as angry residents demanded stronger measures to curb pollution.</p>

<p>&quot;This is the state of air quality this morning in Delhi-NCR! Horrific!&quot; posted one resident beside a picture of thick smog.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The deteriorating quality of air in Delhi over the last one week (WION)</p>
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<p>Unprecedented pollution levels this time last year forced schools to shut as authorities scrambled to contain the crisis.</p>

<p>The World Health Organization in 2014 classed New Delhi as the world&#39;s most polluted capital, with air quality levels worse than Beijing.</p>

<p>A report in the Lancet medical journal last month said pollution had claimed as many as 2.5 million lives in India in 2015, the highest in the world.</p>

<p>Last month an environmental watchdog ordered the shutting down of all diesel generators and the city&#39;s lone coal-fired power plant as part of a slew of measures to curb pollution.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


PM2.5 pollutants are the most harmful to health

New Delhi woke up to a choking blanket of smog on Tuesday as air quality in the world's most polluted capital city reached hazardous levels. The US embassy website said levels of the fine pollutants known as PM2.5 that are most harmful to health reached 703 well over double the threshold of 300 which authorities class as hazardous. "The moment I stepped out of my home I started coughing and there was a burning sensation in my eyes," said Naresh Yadav, a bank employee, as he walked to work in central Delhi. "The government can't solve this problem alone, people need to pitch in and help the government to protect the environment." Delhi's air quality typically worsens ahead of the onset of winter as cooler air traps pollutants near the ground, preventing them from dispersing into the atmosphere, a phenomenon known as inversion × Delhi's air quality typically worsens ahead of the onset of winter as cooler air traps pollutants near the ground, preventing them from dispersing into the atmosphere, a phenomenon known as inversion. Firecrackers set off to celebrate the Diwali festival of lights in the city add to the toxic mix created by pollution from diesel engines, coal-fired power plants and industrial emissions. The problem is further exacerbated by the burning of crop stubble by farmers after the harvest in north India, a practice that remains commonplace despite an official ban. India's Central Pollution Control Board said high levels of moisture in the air and a lack of wind meant emissions had become trapped in the environment. "Total calm conditions, marked by the complete absence of wind, has led to the situation," Dipankar Saha, a senior executive with the board, told the Press Trust of India news agency. "The moisture has trapped emissions from ground-level sources." The hashtag #smog was the top trending topic on Twitter early Tuesday as angry residents demanded stronger measures to curb pollution. "This is the state of air quality this morning in Delhi-NCR! Horrific!" posted one resident beside a picture of thick smog. The deteriorating quality of air in Delhi over the last one week (WION) × Unprecedented pollution levels this time last year forced schools to shut as authorities scrambled to contain the crisis. The World Health Organization in 2014 classed New Delhi as the world's most polluted capital, with air quality levels worse than Beijing. A report in the Lancet medical journal last month said pollution had claimed as many as 2.5 million lives in India in 2015, the highest in the world. Last month an environmental watchdog ordered the shutting down of all diesel generators and the city's lone coal-fired power plant as part of a slew of measures to curb pollution.

Delhi smog: PM2.5 pollutants well over double what is considered hazardous

<p>The Indian Medical Association has written to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asking him to cancel the Airtel Delhi Half-Marathon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The IMA said their reason for doing so was the &quot;high level of pollution&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Indian Medical Assoc writes to Delhi CM, calls for cancellation of Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on 19 Nov,due to &#39;high level of air pollution&#39;</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/927758350334357504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Air quality in Delhi on Tuesday fell in the poor category.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>: Air Quality of Lodhi Road area, prominent pollutants PM 2.5 &amp; PM 10 in &#39;poor&#39; category. <a href="https://t.co/a5ExFPvTJl">pic.twitter.com/a5ExFPvTJl</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/927716734882033666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>There were other reports from the region of poor air quality and visibility.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>: Visuals of smog from India Gate and Rajpath <a href="https://t.co/vsnPbWdlHr">pic.twitter.com/vsnPbWdlHr</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/927718687414484992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thick smog cover engulfs parts of Punjab, visuals from Amritsar; people say they are facing difficulties due to decreased visibility. <a href="https://t.co/I1Yt2bx5c5">pic.twitter.com/I1Yt2bx5c5</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/927743392150200320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is scheduled to be held on November 19.&nbsp;</p>


The Airtel Delhi Half-Marathon is scheduled to be held on November 19

The Indian Medical Association has written to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asking him to cancel the Airtel Delhi Half-Marathon. The IMA said their reason for doing so was the "high level of pollution". Indian Medical Assoc writes to Delhi CM, calls for cancellation of Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on 19 Nov,due to 'high level of air pollution' — ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2017 × Air quality in Delhi on Tuesday fell in the poor category. #Delhi: Air Quality of Lodhi Road area, prominent pollutants PM 2.5 & PM 10 in 'poor' category. pic.twitter.com/a5ExFPvTJl — ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2017 × There were other reports from the region of poor air quality and visibility. #Delhi: Visuals of smog from India Gate and Rajpath pic.twitter.com/vsnPbWdlHr — ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2017 × Thick smog cover engulfs parts of Punjab, visuals from Amritsar; people say they are facing difficulties due to decreased visibility. pic.twitter.com/I1Yt2bx5c5 — ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2017 × The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is scheduled to be held on November 19.

Pollution: Indian Medical Association writes to Delhi CM asking him to cancel half-marathon

<p>North India woke up Wednesday to its first foggy morning of the season with the poor visibility leading to the cancellation of flights and trains.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Five flights were diverted away from the Indian capital Delhi&#39;s Indira Gandhi International Airport.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PTI reported that 50 north-bound trains and 18 planes were delayed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from Delhi, fog, low visibility, and a considerable drop in temperature were also reported from the north Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;This is the season&#39;s first fog cover...The skies are expected to remain clear during the day and the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 28 degrees Celsius,&quot; PTI reported an official as saying of Delhi&#39;s weather.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dense fog cover shrouds Delhi, NCR (early morning visuals) <a href="https://t.co/9LIkFOXiTy">pic.twitter.com/9LIkFOXiTy</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/803779088007606272">November 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, Delhi continued to be hit by pollution with reports saying PM (particulate matter) 2.5 and 10 were still at &#39;severe&#39; levels.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from PTI)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Media reports said 50 north-bound trains and 18 flights were delayed

North India woke up Wednesday to its first foggy morning of the season with the poor visibility leading to the cancellation of flights and trains. Five flights were diverted away from the Indian capital Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. PTI reported that 50 north-bound trains and 18 planes were delayed. Apart from Delhi, fog, low visibility, and a considerable drop in temperature were also reported from the north Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. "This is the season's first fog cover...The skies are expected to remain clear during the day and the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 28 degrees Celsius," PTI reported an official as saying of Delhi's weather. Dense fog cover shrouds Delhi, NCR (early morning visuals) pic.twitter.com/9LIkFOXiTy — ANI (@ANI_news) November 30, 2016 × Meanwhile, Delhi continued to be hit by pollution with reports saying PM (particulate matter) 2.5 and 10 were still at 'severe' levels. (WION with inputs from PTI)

North India wakes up to season's first foggy morning

<p>As New Delhi grappled with its worst smog in 17 years, the head of India&#39;s largest mobile payment firm got on a plane and left, one of thousands of professionals escaping pollution that could cost the capital and the broader economy dear.</p>

<p>Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of PayTM payment start-up, left last Sunday for a temporary stay in Mumbai, worried about the impact of hazardous clouds of dust, smoke and fumes that hang over Delhi during the winter months.</p>

<p>&quot;It became very visibly clear that it is going to be tough in Delhi, especially with young kids,&quot; Sharma said in Mumbai.</p>

<p>&quot;We were worried that it could create long-term (health) problems.&quot;</p>

<p>His company, which has considered moving from its base outside Delhi, has installed air purifiers, brought in plants and masks and offered extra health assistance.</p>

<p>Telecoms operator Idea Cellular and others have allowed more employees to work at home, and hired buses so that car traffic is reduced -- all at their own expense.</p>

<p>A few companies are thriving from the heavy smog hanging over the city earlier this month -- providers of face masks and air purifiers have seen sales soar.</p>

<p>But others, like the car manufacturers, are in the firing line of local and national politicians who want to reduce the deadly haze, while estate agents and tour operators have complained of a slowdown in business.</p>

<p>Delhi, home to around 17 million people, is among the fastest growing states in India. Its $84 billion economy has been expanding at more than 8 per cent for the past two years, faster than a 7.4 per cent national average.</p>

<p>Its air quality, meanwhile, has deteriorated, even by the standards of a country with some of the world&#39;s most polluted cities. Conditions had improved by Friday, but the problem is perennial and has been particularly acute this winter.</p>

<p>Companies have yet to tot up the cost of a week of coughing, spluttering and watering eyes, but local industry lobby group Assocham estimates &quot;several billions of dollars&quot; of new investments are under threat.</p>

<p>A study by the World Bank shows Asia&#39;s third-largest economy lost 8.5 per cent of its GDP in 2013 due to air pollution.</p>

<p><strong>&#39;Worst on earth&#39;</strong></p>

<p>Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), a global real estate services firm serving large corporates, said some clients were reconsidering Delhi as a base, as costs of working there rise.</p>

<p>&quot;This is increasing their operational costs as they are being made to spend more to provide a healthy workplace to their employees,&quot; said Santosh Kumar, a senior executive at the firm.</p>

<p>Delhi&#39;s image is deteriorating more widely, a headache for tour promoters and a government touting &quot;Brand India&quot;.</p>

<p>Some local tour operators say they are already receiving requests from overseas partners to redraw the itinerary of foreign tourists to avoid even an overnight stay in Delhi. Business travellers say they are cancelling trips.</p>

<p>&quot;The ongoing tourism season, which is yet to pick up, could see a maximum hit,&quot; Assocham said.</p>

<p>Expatriates are also thinking twice about living in the Indian capital. JLL&#39;s Kumar said more smog could see foreigners packing their bags, a blow to real estate as well as employment.</p>

<p>Lisa Akerman, a Swedish national who lives in an affluent Delhi neighbourhood, said authorities needed to do much more than they were.</p>

<p>Akerman moved to the city two years ago with her family and has taken measures to ensure clean air in her apartment for her two small daughters. Still, the choking smog left her worried about their health.</p>

<p>Earlier this week, she decided to take them out of the city for a while.</p>

<p>&quot;The pollution level is too much for the children,&quot; she said by &#39;phone from Goa, where she is camping with her kids. &quot;While I love Delhi, its air quality will be a major consideration in deciding whether we want to extend our stay here.&quot;</p>

<p><strong>Not everyone loses</strong></p>

<p>The local government has taken steps to reduce traffic amid widespread public anger at pollution that has caused choking, wheezing and breathlessness.</p>

<p>Licences are being withdrawn for diesel-powered vehicles older than 15 years, and authorities are considering resuming an &quot;odd-even&quot; scheme, under which cars can only travel in the city on alternate days depending on their registration number.</p>

<p>Those steps, and the risk that India&#39;s courts will impose stricter rules on emissions, are a potential blow to foreign and domestic carmakers, some of whom have asked for greater clarity.</p>

<p>But not everyone is complaining about the smog.</p>

<p>Japan&#39;s Daikin has seen sales of air purifiers increase by up to three times since the Hindu Diwali festival, and its stock that had been expected to last until March is exhausted.</p>

<p>To meet growing orders, the Osaka-based air-conditioner maker increased shipments from its Thai factory by 50 percent.</p>

<p>Nirvana India, which distributes the Vogmask face mask in South Asia, reported soaring sales.</p>

<p>It sold 300 to 400 pieces a week around this time last year, but since Diwali at the end of October, it has sold 5,000-8,000 a week and is seeking emergency stocks from Singapore, China and Korea.</p>

<p>&quot;Earlier, only expats, patients and government departments would buy these masks,&quot; said chief executive Jaidhar Gupta. &quot;Now everyone is buying.&quot;</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


Corporates are being forced to spend more, out of their own pockets, to provide employees with a healthy workplace

As New Delhi grappled with its worst smog in 17 years, the head of India's largest mobile payment firm got on a plane and left, one of thousands of professionals escaping pollution that could cost the capital and the broader economy dear. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of PayTM payment start-up, left last Sunday for a temporary stay in Mumbai, worried about the impact of hazardous clouds of dust, smoke and fumes that hang over Delhi during the winter months. "It became very visibly clear that it is going to be tough in Delhi, especially with young kids," Sharma said in Mumbai. "We were worried that it could create long-term (health) problems." His company, which has considered moving from its base outside Delhi, has installed air purifiers, brought in plants and masks and offered extra health assistance. Telecoms operator Idea Cellular and others have allowed more employees to work at home, and hired buses so that car traffic is reduced -- all at their own expense. A few companies are thriving from the heavy smog hanging over the city earlier this month -- providers of face masks and air purifiers have seen sales soar. But others, like the car manufacturers, are in the firing line of local and national politicians who want to reduce the deadly haze, while estate agents and tour operators have complained of a slowdown in business. Delhi, home to around 17 million people, is among the fastest growing states in India. Its $84 billion economy has been expanding at more than 8 per cent for the past two years, faster than a 7.4 per cent national average. Its air quality, meanwhile, has deteriorated, even by the standards of a country with some of the world's most polluted cities. Conditions had improved by Friday, but the problem is perennial and has been particularly acute this winter. Companies have yet to tot up the cost of a week of coughing, spluttering and watering eyes, but local industry lobby group Assocham estimates "several billions of dollars" of new investments are under threat. A study by the World Bank shows Asia's third-largest economy lost 8.5 per cent of its GDP in 2013 due to air pollution. 'Worst on earth' Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), a global real estate services firm serving large corporates, said some clients were reconsidering Delhi as a base, as costs of working there rise. "This is increasing their operational costs as they are being made to spend more to provide a healthy workplace to their employees," said Santosh Kumar, a senior executive at the firm. Delhi's image is deteriorating more widely, a headache for tour promoters and a government touting "Brand India". Some local tour operators say they are already receiving requests from overseas partners to redraw the itinerary of foreign tourists to avoid even an overnight stay in Delhi. Business travellers say they are cancelling trips. "The ongoing tourism season, which is yet to pick up, could see a maximum hit," Assocham said. Expatriates are also thinking twice about living in the Indian capital. JLL's Kumar said more smog could see foreigners packing their bags, a blow to real estate as well as employment. Lisa Akerman, a Swedish national who lives in an affluent Delhi neighbourhood, said authorities needed to do much more than they were. Akerman moved to the city two years ago with her family and has taken measures to ensure clean air in her apartment for her two small daughters. Still, the choking smog left her worried about their health. Earlier this week, she decided to take them out of the city for a while. "The pollution level is too much for the children," she said by 'phone from Goa, where she is camping with her kids. "While I love Delhi, its air quality will be a major consideration in deciding whether we want to extend our stay here." Not everyone loses The local government has taken steps to reduce traffic amid widespread public anger at pollution that has caused choking, wheezing and breathlessness. Licences are being withdrawn for diesel-powered vehicles older than 15 years, and authorities are considering resuming an "odd-even" scheme, under which cars can only travel in the city on alternate days depending on their registration number. Those steps, and the risk that India's courts will impose stricter rules on emissions, are a potential blow to foreign and domestic carmakers, some of whom have asked for greater clarity. But not everyone is complaining about the smog. Japan's Daikin has seen sales of air purifiers increase by up to three times since the Hindu Diwali festival, and its stock that had been expected to last until March is exhausted. To meet growing orders, the Osaka-based air-conditioner maker increased shipments from its Thai factory by 50 percent. Nirvana India, which distributes the Vogmask face mask in South Asia, reported soaring sales. It sold 300 to 400 pieces a week around this time last year, but since Diwali at the end of October, it has sold 5,000-8,000 a week and is seeking emergency stocks from Singapore, China and Korea. "Earlier, only expats, patients and government departments would buy these masks," said chief executive Jaidhar Gupta. "Now everyone is buying." (Reuters)

India: Smog lifts, but companies think of leaving Delhi

<p>The entire area of India&#39;s National Capital Region encompassing not only Noida, Gurgaon and Faridabad but right up to Meerut, Panipat, Bhiwadi and Rohtak is likely to witness a crippling economy, thanks to the tremendous pollution in the Indian capital and surrounding areas, stated a paper by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).</p>

<p>The tourism, transport, automobile and real estate sectors will be hit with several billions of dollars of fresh investment and GDP loss, the paper said.</p>

<p>ANI reported ASSOCHAM Secretary General D S Rawat saying that the tourism season could see a maximum hit with pollution in the city making global headlines.</p>

<p>Foreign tourists often visit the &#39;Golden Triangle&#39;&nbsp;of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur (entire Rajasthan). &quot;If urgent steps on emergency scale are not taken, the economic impact arising out of the health issues could be catastrophic for the NCR, one of the important pillars of the national economy. Besides, this is also a wakeup call for other regions around Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata,&quot;&nbsp;ANI reported Rawat as saying.</p>

<p>Global tour operators have already asked their Indian counterparts if the visitors can avoid Delhi, excepting the touch-down options at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital. &quot;Surely, the maximum impact would be felt by the Delhi economy which had the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Rs&nbsp;5,58,745 crore (USD 8,388) in 2015-16 at current prices. The GSDP of Delhi has been among the fastest growing in the country, but such a growth cannot be taken for granted,&quot; the paper stated.</p>

<p>The chamber suggested short-term and long-term measures to tackle pollution in the NCR.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, authorities in New Delhi have begun revoking licences for thousands of older diesel vehicles on Tuesday and halted construction work on the underground rail network, a Reuters report said.</p>

<p>The capital city, with a population of more than 17 million people, has been covered in smog for a week now.</p>

<p>Licences given to diesel-powered vehicles of more than 15 years old are being withdrawn, which would lead to 200,000 vehicles going off&nbsp;roads, Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung&#39;s office said in a statement.</p>

<p>The National Green Tribunal had in July ordered Delhi authorities to pull diesel vehicles that were more than 10 years old off the roads, but that order was not enforced.</p>

<p>Reuters reported that the levels of PM 2.5, tiny particulate matter that reaches deep into the lungs and causes breathlessness, throat irritation and wheezing, were above 700 in some of the city&#39;s worst affected areas on Monday, according to the air quality index as monitored by the US&nbsp;embassy.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


The report suggested a holistic set of short-term and long-term measures to tackle pollution in the National Capital Region

The entire area of India's National Capital Region encompassing not only Noida, Gurgaon and Faridabad but right up to Meerut, Panipat, Bhiwadi and Rohtak is likely to witness a crippling economy, thanks to the tremendous pollution in the Indian capital and surrounding areas, stated a paper by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). The tourism, transport, automobile and real estate sectors will be hit with several billions of dollars of fresh investment and GDP loss, the paper said. ANI reported ASSOCHAM Secretary General D S Rawat saying that the tourism season could see a maximum hit with pollution in the city making global headlines. Foreign tourists often visit the 'Golden Triangle' of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur (entire Rajasthan). "If urgent steps on emergency scale are not taken, the economic impact arising out of the health issues could be catastrophic for the NCR, one of the important pillars of the national economy. Besides, this is also a wakeup call for other regions around Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata," ANI reported Rawat as saying. Global tour operators have already asked their Indian counterparts if the visitors can avoid Delhi, excepting the touch-down options at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital. "Surely, the maximum impact would be felt by the Delhi economy which had the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Rs 5,58,745 crore (USD 8,388) in 2015-16 at current prices. The GSDP of Delhi has been among the fastest growing in the country, but such a growth cannot be taken for granted," the paper stated. The chamber suggested short-term and long-term measures to tackle pollution in the NCR. Meanwhile, authorities in New Delhi have begun revoking licences for thousands of older diesel vehicles on Tuesday and halted construction work on the underground rail network, a Reuters report said. The capital city, with a population of more than 17 million people, has been covered in smog for a week now. Licences given to diesel-powered vehicles of more than 15 years old are being withdrawn, which would lead to 200,000 vehicles going off roads, Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung's office said in a statement. The National Green Tribunal had in July ordered Delhi authorities to pull diesel vehicles that were more than 10 years old off the roads, but that order was not enforced. Reuters reported that the levels of PM 2.5, tiny particulate matter that reaches deep into the lungs and causes breathlessness, throat irritation and wheezing, were above 700 in some of the city's worst affected areas on Monday, according to the air quality index as monitored by the US embassy. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Delhi's smog to cripple economy in Indian capital and surrounding cities: Study

<p>India&#39;s top court on Tuesday gave the federal government 48 hours to come up with a disaster management plan to deal with the alarming levels of air polution in the national capital.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Taking into account the alleged &quot;differences&quot; between the federal and the state government on the matter, the Supreme Court asked the them to to devise a &quot;common minimum programme&quot; for taking steps to deal with the menace, India&#39;s news agency PTI reported.</p>

<p>&quot;We want to know whether you (Centre) have any disaster management plan. Do you have a policy which deals with graded responses to the situation and provides what action would be taken at which stage?<br />
&quot;What is the protocol? Now the time has come where we need to have this,&quot; a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices A K Sikri and S A Bobde said.</p>

<p>The government on Tuesday asked the court for two days to come up with a plan, which was granted.</p>

<p>&quot;Give me two days. We will have a meeting with the environment secretary and come up with a comprehensive response to the problem of Delhi pollution,&quot; India&#39;s solicitor general, Ranjit Kumar, told the court.</p>

<p>An environmental body filed a petition with the Supreme Court earlier this week demanding urgent steps to tackle the &quot;public health emergency&quot; in the national capital.</p>

<p>Sunita Narain of the Supreme Court-appointed pollution watchdog, Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) had urged for an urgent hearing on the matter. The EPCA submitted that air pollution levels in the country had reached alarming proportions, and that the PM 2.5 level on November 5 was 837.7 ug/m3 in Delhi, almost 14.4 times higher than the limit of 60 ug/m3.</p>

<p>The apex court took the governments of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to task for not regulating the incoming trucks and heavy vehicles which used Delhi as a transit point. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;How do you regulate this? Do you ask vehicle drivers as to where they are going? What are the training given to policemen or toll operators,&quot; the bench asked. &quot;What establishment have you (states) set up for diversion of traffic before they enter Delhi?&quot;</p>

<p>The court also asked the government to follow a graded approach to tackle the problem and specify the steps to be taken at each &quot;level&quot; of the escalation of the problem.</p>

<p>Delhi government advocate Indira Singh also informed the court that the government had acquired six vacume cleaning vehicles to counter pollution and was planning to purchase 16 such vehicles.</p>

<p>Hearing in the matter will continue on November 11.</p>

<p><strong>National Green Tribunal slams federal government</strong></p>

<p>In a separate hearing in India&#39;s environment court on Tuesday, Judge Swantanter Kumar slammed authorities of Delhi and four of its neighbouring states for not taking action sooner to control alarming levels of pollution.</p>

<p>The bench said, &quot;When all this mess was going on and Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 pollution went up above 1000, what actual steps did you take on the ground except doing meetings? See what kind of joke you people play. You ask people who fix lights on the streets to sprinkle water with cranes to control dust pollution. Why could you not deploy helicopters to sprinkle water all over NCT Delhi?</p>

<p>&quot;Is it beyond imagination? Even by common sense, only water can bring down the PM levels and improve air quality. It is shocking that for the first five days nobody did anything, be it the states or the Centre. Everybody was watching and waiting for the smog to intensify.</p>

<p>As an interim measure, the green tribunal banned all construction work in Delhi and NCR for the next 7 days to bring the smog under control and ordered halting operations of stone crushers and brick kilns in Delhi and NCR.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
<strong>Anti-pollution watchdog&#39;s recommendations to top court</strong></p>

<p>The EPCA said the reason for Delhi&#39;s high pollution levels are large numbers of vehicles, unchecked construction and road dust, garbage burning, burning of crackers on the festival of Diwali and the burning of paddy residue by farmers in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana. The following priority action plans were recommended by EPCA in its report to the court.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Strict enforcement of ECC (environment compensation charge) on Delhi-bound trucks; checking and diverting all non-Delhi bound truck traffic&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Ensuring the early introduction of Radio-frequency identification (RFID) to improve compliance and enforcement&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Urgent action to control pollution from thermal power plants in Delhi and its vicinity by shutting down plants during winter months and moving towards natural gas based power plants in long run</li>
	<li>Punjab and Haryana to take strict action for controlling biomass burning and to provide farmers alternatives for paddy straw&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Strict enforcement by all pollution control boards on control of air pollution from industries, brick kilns and other sources of air pollution</li>
	<li>Comprehensive steps to &quot;augment public transport in Delhi and connectivity with the National Capital Region (NCR)</li>
	<li>Delhi government must issue daily health advisory, which clearly state the health risks of pollution based on the level of smog that is present in the city</li>
	<li>Health advisory to inform people to keep children and those suffering from heart and respiratory ailments indoors&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


An environmental body filed a petition with the Supreme Court earlier this week demanding a review of the government's previous lacklustre attempts to control the pollution

India's top court on Tuesday gave the federal government 48 hours to come up with a disaster management plan to deal with the alarming levels of air polution in the national capital. Taking into account the alleged "differences" between the federal and the state government on the matter, the Supreme Court asked the them to to devise a "common minimum programme" for taking steps to deal with the menace, India's news agency PTI reported. "We want to know whether you (Centre) have any disaster management plan. Do you have a policy which deals with graded responses to the situation and provides what action would be taken at which stage? "What is the protocol? Now the time has come where we need to have this," a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices A K Sikri and S A Bobde said. The government on Tuesday asked the court for two days to come up with a plan, which was granted. "Give me two days. We will have a meeting with the environment secretary and come up with a comprehensive response to the problem of Delhi pollution," India's solicitor general, Ranjit Kumar, told the court. An environmental body filed a petition with the Supreme Court earlier this week demanding urgent steps to tackle the "public health emergency" in the national capital. Sunita Narain of the Supreme Court-appointed pollution watchdog, Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) had urged for an urgent hearing on the matter. The EPCA submitted that air pollution levels in the country had reached alarming proportions, and that the PM 2.5 level on November 5 was 837.7 ug/m3 in Delhi, almost 14.4 times higher than the limit of 60 ug/m3. The apex court took the governments of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to task for not regulating the incoming trucks and heavy vehicles which used Delhi as a transit point. "How do you regulate this? Do you ask vehicle drivers as to where they are going? What are the training given to policemen or toll operators," the bench asked. "What establishment have you (states) set up for diversion of traffic before they enter Delhi?" The court also asked the government to follow a graded approach to tackle the problem and specify the steps to be taken at each "level" of the escalation of the problem. Delhi government advocate Indira Singh also informed the court that the government had acquired six vacume cleaning vehicles to counter pollution and was planning to purchase 16 such vehicles. Hearing in the matter will continue on November 11. National Green Tribunal slams federal government In a separate hearing in India's environment court on Tuesday, Judge Swantanter Kumar slammed authorities of Delhi and four of its neighbouring states for not taking action sooner to control alarming levels of pollution. The bench said, "When all this mess was going on and Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 pollution went up above 1000, what actual steps did you take on the ground except doing meetings? See what kind of joke you people play. You ask people who fix lights on the streets to sprinkle water with cranes to control dust pollution. Why could you not deploy helicopters to sprinkle water all over NCT Delhi? "Is it beyond imagination? Even by common sense, only water can bring down the PM levels and improve air quality. It is shocking that for the first five days nobody did anything, be it the states or the Centre. Everybody was watching and waiting for the smog to intensify. As an interim measure, the green tribunal banned all construction work in Delhi and NCR for the next 7 days to bring the smog under control and ordered halting operations of stone crushers and brick kilns in Delhi and NCR. Anti-pollution watchdog's recommendations to top court The EPCA said the reason for Delhi's high pollution levels are large numbers of vehicles, unchecked construction and road dust, garbage burning, burning of crackers on the festival of Diwali and the burning of paddy residue by farmers in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana. The following priority action plans were recommended by EPCA in its report to the court. Strict enforcement of ECC (environment compensation charge) on Delhi-bound trucks; checking and diverting all non-Delhi bound truck traffic Ensuring the early introduction of Radio-frequency identification (RFID) to improve compliance and enforcement Urgent action to control pollution from thermal power plants in Delhi and its vicinity by shutting down plants during winter months and moving towards natural gas based power plants in long run Punjab and Haryana to take strict action for controlling biomass burning and to provide farmers alternatives for paddy straw Strict enforcement by all pollution control boards on control of air pollution from industries, brick kilns and other sources of air pollution Comprehensive steps to "augment public transport in Delhi and connectivity with the National Capital Region (NCR) Delhi government must issue daily health advisory, which clearly state the health risks of pollution based on the level of smog that is present in the city Health advisory to inform people to keep children and those suffering from heart and respiratory ailments indoors (WION with inputs from agencies)

India's top court sets 2-day deadline for Delhi government to chalk out anti-smog plan

<p>Air masks are shooting off Delhi shelves and running out of stock as the Indian capital continues to remain enveloped in layers of grey smog.</p>

<p>Jai Dhar Gupta, owner of Nirvana Being which sells Vogmasks, was quoted as saying by PTI, &quot;The demand is so much that we finish our stocks by mid-day and have to replenish our stocks. We generally stock masks around Diwali every year but this season the demand has multiplied like 10 times.&quot;</p>

<p>Sudesh Mehta of Srishti Medicos told PTI that various companies in the city have been placing bulk orders so that they can distribute the masks to their employees, which is why the masks are running out of stock.</p>

<p>This is considered to be Delhi&rsquo;s worst smog in 17 years.</p>

<p>The pollution has prompted India&rsquo;s federal government to call it an &ldquo;emergency situation&rdquo;, while New Delhi&rsquo;s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has referred to Delhi as a &quot;gas chamber&quot;.</p>

<p>As would be expected, cases of severe breathlessness and asthma, and allergies have risen sharply in the city.</p>

<p>&quot;The incidences have surely risen and in many ailments, it has doubled almost. Asthma, allergy and other ailments triggered by pollution have increased and it is the elderly who are suffering the most,&quot; Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, a consultant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, told PTI.</p>

<p>&quot;Earlier, 15-20 per cent pollution-related ailment cases were reported at our hospital. But now these have gone up to 60 per cent,&rdquo; Dr SP Byotra, senior consultant and chairman of the department of medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, told PTI.</p>

<p>He added: &quot;The most common problem is related to respiration. But this time we are seeing a rather large number of cases of severe breathlessness, coughing and sneezing and bronchiolitis due to the smog.&rdquo;</p>

<p>About 17,000 schools remained closed yesterday because of the pollution, some of whom have issued advisories to parents stating that their children should use air masks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from PTI)</p>


Companies are ordering the masks in bulk so that they can distribute them to employees

Air masks are shooting off Delhi shelves and running out of stock as the Indian capital continues to remain enveloped in layers of grey smog. Jai Dhar Gupta, owner of Nirvana Being which sells Vogmasks, was quoted as saying by PTI, "The demand is so much that we finish our stocks by mid-day and have to replenish our stocks. We generally stock masks around Diwali every year but this season the demand has multiplied like 10 times." Sudesh Mehta of Srishti Medicos told PTI that various companies in the city have been placing bulk orders so that they can distribute the masks to their employees, which is why the masks are running out of stock. This is considered to be Delhi’s worst smog in 17 years. The pollution has prompted India’s federal government to call it an “emergency situation”, while New Delhi’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has referred to Delhi as a "gas chamber". As would be expected, cases of severe breathlessness and asthma, and allergies have risen sharply in the city. "The incidences have surely risen and in many ailments, it has doubled almost. Asthma, allergy and other ailments triggered by pollution have increased and it is the elderly who are suffering the most," Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, a consultant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, told PTI. "Earlier, 15-20 per cent pollution-related ailment cases were reported at our hospital. But now these have gone up to 60 per cent,” Dr SP Byotra, senior consultant and chairman of the department of medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, told PTI. He added: "The most common problem is related to respiration. But this time we are seeing a rather large number of cases of severe breathlessness, coughing and sneezing and bronchiolitis due to the smog.” About 17,000 schools remained closed yesterday because of the pollution, some of whom have issued advisories to parents stating that their children should use air masks. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Choking in Delhi: Air masks run out of stock as layers of smog envelop Indian capital

India&#39;s top court today lifted a ban on the registration of new high-end diesel vehicles in the national capital, New Delhi after carmakers said they had been left stranded with thousands of unsold sport utility vehicles (SUVs).<br />
<br />
Car manufacturers would, however, have to pay a one per cent green tax to compensate for polluting the city&#39;s air, the Supreme Court said in its ruling which would impact vehicles with engine capacity of two litres or more, typical of SUVs, jeeps and other luxury cars.<br />
<br />
&quot;Deposit of one per cent levy alone shall entitle manufacturers or dealers and purchasers to have the car registered in Delhi,&quot; a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur ruled.&nbsp;The court also said that it would decide at a later date on whether to impose the green tax on diesel vehicles with smaller engines.<br />
<br />
India&#39;s courts have been pushing authorities to act over the filthy air in Delhi, which has been rated as one of the world&#39;s most polluted cities in surveys.<br />
<br />
Last December, the Supreme Court temporarily banned the sale of large diesel cars in an attempt to clean up the capital&#39;s toxic air.&nbsp;More than 23 per cent of the cars on Delhi roads run on diesel, according to the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment think tank.<br />
<br />
Friday&#39;s verdict came after an appeal by auto giant Mercedes-Benz and an association of auto-makers who said the ban was impacting their sales adversely.<br />
<br />
Shares of Mahindra and Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki India ended the day higher following the latest ruling.<br />
<br />
It may also be recalled that India&#39;s environment court last month ordered all diesel vehicles older than 10 years be deregistered in the national capital.&nbsp;<br />
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<h5>India&#39;s courts have been pushing authorities to act over the filthy air in Delhi, which has been rated as one of the world&#39;s most polluted cities in surveys.</h5>
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The national green tribunal (NGT) directed Delhi&#39;s regional transport office to cancel registrations immediately, after police complained of struggling to force the affected cars off the roads.<br />
<br />
Delhi&#39;s dangerous smog levels have been ranked &nbsp;as among the worst &nbsp;globally by the World Health Organization (WHO).&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The Delhi government has announced a string of measures including driving restrictions in January and in April that took around a million cars off the roads for two weeks. &nbsp;But with nearly 10 million vehicles on Delhi&#39;s roads, campaigners say much more needs to be done.<br />
<br />
A WHO study of 3,000 cities released in May placed Delhi in 11th position based on annual average concentration of PM2.5 particles.&nbsp;These particles, less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, are linked to higher rates of chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart disease as they settle deep in the lungs and can pass into the bloodstream.<br />
<br />
<br />
(AFP)&nbsp;

'Deposit of 1% levy alone shall entitle manufacturers or dealers and purchasers to have the car registered in Delhi,' the bench said

India's top court today lifted a ban on the registration of new high-end diesel vehicles in the national capital, New Delhi after carmakers said they had been left stranded with thousands of unsold sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Car manufacturers would, however, have to pay a one per cent green tax to compensate for polluting the city's air, the Supreme Court said in its ruling which would impact vehicles with engine capacity of two litres or more, typical of SUVs, jeeps and other luxury cars. "Deposit of one per cent levy alone shall entitle manufacturers or dealers and purchasers to have the car registered in Delhi," a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur ruled. The court also said that it would decide at a later date on whether to impose the green tax on diesel vehicles with smaller engines. India's courts have been pushing authorities to act over the filthy air in Delhi, which has been rated as one of the world's most polluted cities in surveys. Last December, the Supreme Court temporarily banned the sale of large diesel cars in an attempt to clean up the capital's toxic air. More than 23 per cent of the cars on Delhi roads run on diesel, according to the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment think tank. Friday's verdict came after an appeal by auto giant Mercedes-Benz and an association of auto-makers who said the ban was impacting their sales adversely. Shares of Mahindra and Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki India ended the day higher following the latest ruling. It may also be recalled that India's environment court last month ordered all diesel vehicles older than 10 years be deregistered in the national capital. India's courts have been pushing authorities to act over the filthy air in Delhi, which has been rated as one of the world's most polluted cities in surveys. The national green tribunal (NGT) directed Delhi's regional transport office to cancel registrations immediately, after police complained of struggling to force the affected cars off the roads. Delhi's dangerous smog levels have been ranked as among the worst globally by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Delhi government has announced a string of measures including driving restrictions in January and in April that took around a million cars off the roads for two weeks. But with nearly 10 million vehicles on Delhi's roads, campaigners say much more needs to be done. A WHO study of 3,000 cities released in May placed Delhi in 11th position based on annual average concentration of PM2.5 particles. These particles, less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, are linked to higher rates of chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart disease as they settle deep in the lungs and can pass into the bloodstream. (AFP)

Top court grants reprieve to new, large diesel vehicles in India's national capital, but with 'green tax'

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