As Deadly Smog Cover Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal Asks Minister To Shut Down Schools

Few days holiday has been declared in schools by Chief Minister of Delhi Mr. Arvind Kejriwal as a thick blanket of smog covered the capital city today. The top medical body was compelled to declare “public health emergency” seeing the thick blanket of smog over the city.

Education Minister Manish Sisodia said, Mr Kejriwal asked me to consider closing the schools for few days considering the bad weather condition through his tweet. Almost every year, at this time of the year, Delhi turns into a gas chamber, Mr Kejriwal said in his tweet and also seeks for a solution to this bad condition of weather.

The annually held half marathon has been called off, to protect runners and volunteers from the high levels of deadly particles present in the air. The half marathon was to be held by “The Indian Medical Association” on November 19, 2017.

This morning, the residents of Delhi woke up to a thick haze, due to which some experienced irritation in nose, throat and eyes.

Central Pollution Control Board has marked any reading above 100 to be unhealthy. To measure the concentration of poisonous particulates the air quality index is referred. In Delhi, this level has hit 451 on the scale of 500. This is a serious level, which Delhi’s air quality has reached to.

According to real-time air quality index of US embassy, some part of Delhi’s air quality was very poor and was even beyond the maximum level of air pollution.

PM2.5 the fine pollutant’s level that are most harmful to health reached 703, according to the website of the embassy. This is double the permissible level and is considered as hazardous for health.

In RK Puram area, the level was at 999, no further readings are available. Chairman for chest surgery at Ganga Ram Hospital Mr Arvind Kumar said this level is way too high and is equal to almost having 50 cigarettes in a day.

Millions of children last year were forced to stay at home and long queues were seen outside medical shops for buying masks as Delhi was struggling with fighting against the worst condition of air pollution ever seen in Delhi.

Besides farm burnings in north India, bursting of firecrackers and dusts from construction sites, and smoke emitted from vehicles were cited as the main causes of such weather condition.###