Delhi Gasps For Fresh Air

Toxic air has increased manifold as a large number of farmers in Punjab and Haryana villages are burning paddy stubble without fear.

- Lalit Sethi

Stubble burning of paddy harvest in West Pakistan is now menacing Delhi in addition to straw being set ablaze in Punjab and Haryana. The air quality index has already turned very poor at more than 300 points and rising.

After several weeks of relatively clean air, people of Delhi breathe hard and school children are wearing masks. Pollution and toxic air has increased manifold as a large number of farmers in Punjab and Haryana villages are burning paddy stubble without fear. The farmers in Haryana are reckless; they can start fires without being caught because the police are preoccupied with Assembly elections, due on October 21.

The air index quality index could be rising to 450 any time soon in spite of new curbs on entry of trucks into Delhi, closing of brick kilns, stone crushers and use of diesel generators.

By October 13, the air quality index had risen because of consistent traffic congestion in the Anand Vihar to 337 points. It is already higher in Panipat, 60 km. from Delhi in Haryana. With Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal planning to impose odd-even restrictions from November 4 to 14, will there be much reduction in traffic congestion? That is the aim, but it will cause much trouble to commuters even if women drivers and motor cyclists may be exempted from coming on to the roads. But what will happen after 10 days? Will the chaos on the roads be diminished 10 days after Diwali or will green crackers