Choking air: Satellite images show smog stretching from Punjab to Bay of Bengal
PTC News Desk: As the pollution levels in New Delhi remain severe, authorities have been forced to implement emergency measures such as traffic restrictions and school closures. The poor air quality is the result of a combination of factors, the most significant of which are vehicular emissions and smoke from crop burning in neighbouring states.
NASA's Worldview satellite captured images of toxic smog stretching from Pakistan to the Bay of Bengal. The smog is exacerbated by an increase in farm fires in North India, according to satellite data.
According to NASA data, the number of farm fires has increased dramatically since October 29. On October 29, the state saw a 740 percent increase with 1,068 farm fire incidents, the most in a single day in the state's history.
According to NASA data, the number of farm fires has increased dramatically since October 29. On October 29, the state saw a 740 percent increase with 1,068 farm fire incidents, the most in a single day during the current harvesting season.
New Delhi has topped the list of the world's most polluted cities for the last six days, with the air quality index reaching 500 in some areas on Wednesday morning. The national capital has been placed under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a set of anti-pollution guidelines, and diesel trucks and construction activities have been prohibited.
The Supreme Court has ordered the governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to meet with the Centre as soon as possible to discuss how to deal with the farm fires. The court has stated that it will not allow this to turn into a political battle, emphasizing that the choking air quality is responsible for the "murder of people's health."
- With inputs from agencies
