By — Larisa Epatko Larisa Epatko Leave a comment 0comments Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/unhealthy-air-quality-forces-schools-to-close-in-delhi Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter The air quality is so bad in Delhi that the city is closing schools World Nov 9, 2017 11:40 AM EDT The air pollution has gotten so bad in Delhi, India, that authorities have advised people with breathing problems to stay inside and closed 6,000 schools for most of the week. Over the last 48 hours, pollution readings in the city of 19 million have hovered around or exceeded 500 on the city’s air quality index — that’s 12 times the health limit set by the World Health Organization. (You can monitor Delhi’s air quality in real-time here.) “The air quality in Delhi is deteriorating. We cannot compromise with the health of children at this stage,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, according to a Reuters report. Pollution readings in Delhi hit the most severe level on the government’s air quality index this week. Photo by Saumya Khandelwal/Reuters The thick smog in Delhi comes from a combination of factors, including farmers burning crop debris in nearby fields, vehicle emissions, and the burning of coal and trash. Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, tweeted that during this time of year, Delhi “becomes a gas chamber”: All of us together have to find a soln to this. Every year, during this time of the year, Del becomes a gas chamber for almost a month https://t.co/4YrA3HZG98 — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 7, 2017 The Indian Medical Association is urging the Delhi government to declare a public health emergency and take immediate action, such as temporarily banning cars, to address the problem. In February, PBS NewsHour special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reported on efforts to address the health impacts of India’s polluted air. Watch that report here: We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Larisa Epatko Larisa Epatko Larisa Epatko produced multimedia web features and broadcast reports with a focus on foreign affairs for the PBS NewsHour. She has reported in places such as Jordan, Pakistan, Iraq, Haiti, Sudan, Western Sahara, Guantanamo Bay, China, Vietnam, South Korea, Turkey, Germany and Ireland. @NewsHourWorld
The air pollution has gotten so bad in Delhi, India, that authorities have advised people with breathing problems to stay inside and closed 6,000 schools for most of the week. Over the last 48 hours, pollution readings in the city of 19 million have hovered around or exceeded 500 on the city’s air quality index — that’s 12 times the health limit set by the World Health Organization. (You can monitor Delhi’s air quality in real-time here.) “The air quality in Delhi is deteriorating. We cannot compromise with the health of children at this stage,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, according to a Reuters report. Pollution readings in Delhi hit the most severe level on the government’s air quality index this week. Photo by Saumya Khandelwal/Reuters The thick smog in Delhi comes from a combination of factors, including farmers burning crop debris in nearby fields, vehicle emissions, and the burning of coal and trash. Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, tweeted that during this time of year, Delhi “becomes a gas chamber”: All of us together have to find a soln to this. Every year, during this time of the year, Del becomes a gas chamber for almost a month https://t.co/4YrA3HZG98 — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 7, 2017 The Indian Medical Association is urging the Delhi government to declare a public health emergency and take immediate action, such as temporarily banning cars, to address the problem. In February, PBS NewsHour special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reported on efforts to address the health impacts of India’s polluted air. Watch that report here: We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now