Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 05-11-2019
The author of the newly released book ‘The Great Smog of India’ has told Radio Islam the smog in Delhi is so bad, it’s beginning to burn people’s eyes and even affecting their throats.
A poisonous haze envelops New Delhi every winter, caused by vehicle fumes, industrial emissions and smoke from agricultural burning in neighbouring northern states of Punjab and Haryana.
The current smog crisis – the worst in three years – prompted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to announce a range of measures to fight what he described as “unbearable pollution”.
The air quality index, measuring levels of PM 2.5, tiny particulate matter in the air, deteriorated to above 900 on Sunday, way over the 500-level that qualifies as “severe-plus”.
Author Siddarth Singh says the smog is unbearable.
“It’s much worse than that. In fact, the emergency rooms are getting lined up by people with asthma, the little children who are finding it hard to breath. The situation this year especially for the last two or three days have been truly horrible.”
He says the Indian government is failing to address the smog crisis.
“I don’t think that the government has done its part. There are several things that the government still has a handle on but they haven’t done much. We need to have a situation where there is a ‘dust plan’ where the government can take care of the local causes of air pollution.”
Singh says good quality electric transportation need to be implemented so that people permanently give up their cars towards public transport.
Listen to the interview with Siddarth Singh
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