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'My daughter warned by teacher today...': US envoy on air pollution in Delhi
The air quality in the national capital was recorded in the "very poor” category for the sixth consecutive day with AQI at 351.
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Thursday drew parallels between Delhi's present air pollution and his memories of growing up in Los Angeles where the air quality was a concern. He also recalled how he used to get warning from his teachers against going outside to play just as his daughter at her school in New Delhi was warned today due to the air pollution.
"On a day like this in Delhi, it brings back memories of growing up in Los Angeles where the air was the most polluted air anywhere in America. Where like today, we were given warnings by our teachers that you cannot go outside to play, just as my daughter was given by her teacher today as I dropped her off to school," he said.
The air quality in the national capital was recorded in the "very poor” category for the sixth consecutive day with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 351, with a persistent smoky haze blanketing the city for the third consecutive day.
The city's 24-hour average AQI was 364 on Wednesday, 359 on Tuesday, 347 on Monday, 325 on Sunday, 304 on Saturday and 261 on Friday. However, the AQI was 230 in Ghaziabad, 324 in Faridabad, 230 in Gurugram, 295 in Noida and 344 in Greater Noida.
Amid a surge in farm fires and unfavourable weather conditions, scientists have warned of a spike in the pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR region in the next two weeks.
Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said that the NCT government will ban construction work in areas recording an air quality index (AQI) above the 400-mark for five consecutive days.
He further said that the next 15-20 days starting from November 1 “would be critical in the context of the air quality index” due to the ongoing poor air quality in the national capital.
The government launched "Red Light On Gaadi Off" to curb vehicular pollution and plans to hire 1,000 private CNG buses to strengthen public transport and reduce vehicular pollution.
(With inputs from agencies)
