New Delhi orders schools to shut due to ‘hazardous air’
The government in India’s capital New Delhi ordered all primary schools to shut from Saturday and ordered all older children to stop outdoor activities. Authorities claimed that due to major air pollution, the air was hazardous to the health of children.
A heavy smog forms over New Delhi every winter as the cold air traps the city’s enormous dust and smoke emissions. In the last seven years, on average New Delhi has had only around 20 days of “safe” air conditions, according to the air quality index.
India’s federal pollution control board has banned the entry of diesel trucks carrying non-essential goods into the capital, as a short-term measure to reduce the pollution in the city.
Delhi’s environment minister has instructed 50% of government employees to work from home to further reduce emissions.
The massive city of New Delhi is home to over 28 million people and is the heart of India’s government. In recent years the issue of air pollution has become an ever more pressing political issue, as the city’s rapid expansion shows no signs of abating.
[Photo: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images]
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