On the order of the Supreme Court, the Delhi government called an emergency meeting on Tuesday for fighting with capital’s air pollution. They have decided on a weekend lockdown and work from home for a week. Schools have been already shut down for this serious issue.
All the industrial activities and instructions will be paused as per the Delhi government’s recommendation. Delhi and central officials have met after Supreme Court’s order for taking urgent steps. They have discussed the fighting against the toxic air crisis.
Delhi Minister Gopal Rao told the press, “We have proposed a weekend lockdown, we are ready for it.” An official added that work from home instruction has been imposed on both government and private offices.
On Monday Supreme Court suggested work from home for employees in and around Delhi. Yesterday an emergency meeting was organized on the Supreme Court’s prodding. The Supreme Court said, “We direct the centre to hold an emergency meeting tomorrow and tell us what steps they can take.”
Since early November Delhi is battling with toxic air situation and the government has decided to close the schools and all the building work in the entire city to stop for four days. The Delhi Government has told to the Supreme Court that they are ready to start a complete lockdown to fight against air pollution.
In October due to belated monsoon rain the Delhi air was cleanest in the year. But the situation has deteriorated shortly after Diwali. From the first week of November, the temperature and weather have started to go into bad condition. Firecrackers and millions of cars are the main sources of this pollution.
Besides that the air pollution emergence due to the emission of smoke from transport, farm waste burning, dust, open garbage burning as well as coal-fired plants outside of the city. The air quality of Delhi as an index stood at 343 on a scale-out of 500. This “very poor” condition may cause respiratory illness or another respiratory disease.
Other neighboring states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana also imposed work from home orders for the plummeted air quality. UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath ordered that rather than private cars people can use public transport and the stubble burning is fully restricted.