NEW DELHI: New Delhi officials have ordered a two-day halt to construction in an attempt to reduce choking pollution that has cloaked the city in smog and dust.
The government’s Central Pollution Control Board rated the city’s air quality on Friday as “severe” the worst possible category for the fourth day in a row.
New Delhi’s level of PM2.5, tiny particulate matter that can dangerously clog lungs, exceeded 170 on Friday morning, more than six times higher than the World Health Organisation considers safe.
The order to halt construction, which was issued on Thursday night, came amid days of winds that have carried dirt and dust across northern India, causing pollution to spike in numerous cities and forcing dozens of flight cancellations. The city is also trying to lower the amount of dirt in the air by sprinkling water in many neighbourhoods.
Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2018
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