In New Delhi, air pollution has reached alarming levels. Result: all primary schools in the Indian capital were closed.
Since Thursday, primary schools in New Delhi have switched to distance learning. The move was announced by local Chief Minister Atishi due to increasing pollution levels. This is not a first: every winter, the city experiences critical weeks of smog, forcing the closure of schools and other disruptions.
Smog in New Delhi is a mixture of fog and polluting emissions. Several factors are responsible:
- Low-end diesel emissions
- Seasonal agricultural burning
- Winter temperatures and slow winds
These conditions trap deadly pollutants, making the situation worse from mid-October to January.
Air pollution in Delhi has devastating effects:
- PM2.5 particles, 50 times above WHO recommended levels, can enter the bloodstream and cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancers.
- A study found that 12,000 deaths annually in Delhi are due to pollution. In 2019, it was responsible for 1.67 million deaths in India.
To combat this pollution, authorities have put in place restrictions, such as banning construction activities, limiting the circulation of diesel trucks or encouraging them to turn off engines at red lights.
The city has also tested filter towers and is considering using drones to spray water on the most polluted areas. But according to environmental NGOs, these initiatives remain insufficient. They call for more radical measures to reduce emissions at their source.
The situation in New Delhi reflects a global problem: CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are reaching records, with no clear peak in the use of oil, gas and coal in sight.
New Delhi faces a major health and environmental crisis, and more ambitious measures are needed to protect its 30 million residents. Pollution is not just a local problem, it is a global emergency.
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