faced with a new episode of intense air pollution, New Delhi closes schools and construction sites

2 mins

With our correspondent in New Delhi, Como Bastin

The Interior Minister was barely visible as he gave a speech this Friday, November 15 in the Indian political capital. New Delhi is covered in thick smog of pollution, a mixture of fog and polluting emissions, while the air quality is considered extremely dangerous.

With the cold of November and the agricultural burning carried out in the surrounding area, this disaster scenario cannot be thwarted in India. On November 13, levels of carcinogenic microparticles more than 50 times above the daily maximum recommended by the World Health Organization were recorded.

Emergency measures to deal with pollution

Last month, the Supreme Court, the country’s highest court, added clean air to the list of basic human rights and ordered the government to act. These are therefore emergency measures which are decided by the local government with a so-called “level 3” action plan. All construction or destruction activities are prohibited, schools are closed and polluting diesel vehicles are banned from circulation.

After encouraging motorists to turn off their engines at red lights, the city of New Delhi also tested a filtering tower in 2021, which was quickly abandoned, and is also considering using drones to spray water on the most vulnerable areas. polluted.

In the midst of COP29, the Indian capital illustrates the risks of polluting gas emissions, even beyond the effects of climate change. Air pollution is responsible for 11.5% of mortality in Delhi, or 12,000 deaths per year, according to a recent study. Another study published in the medical journal Lancet blamed poor air quality for the deaths of 1.67 million Indians in 2019.

Also listenIndia: the hell of ambient pollution in New Delhi