{"id":1034,"date":"2017-10-20T20:06:06","date_gmt":"2017-10-20T20:06:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/?p=1034"},"modified":"2017-10-20T20:06:06","modified_gmt":"2017-10-20T20:06:06","slug":"delhi-covered-in-toxic-haze-after-night-of-diwali-fireworks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/2017\/10\/20\/delhi-covered-in-toxic-haze-after-night-of-diwali-fireworks\/","title":{"rendered":"Delhi covered in toxic haze after night of Diwali fireworks"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"hide-on-mobile\">\n<header class=\"content__head tonal__head tonal__head--tone-news\n\n    \"><\/p>\n<div class=\"tonal__standfirst u-cf\">\n<div class=\"gs-container\">\n<div class=\"content__main-column\">\n<div class=\"content__standfirst\">\n<p>Air pollution in Indian capital hits 18 times the healthy limit despite supreme court ban on sale of firecrackers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content__main tonal__main tonal__main--tone-news\">\n<div class=\"gs-container\">\n<div class=\"content__main-column content__main-column--article js-content-main-column \">\n<div class=\"js-score\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"js-sport-tabs football-tabs content__mobile-full-width\"><\/div>\n<figure id=\"img-1\" class=\"media-primary media-content()  \">\n<div class=\"u-responsive-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"maxed responsive-img\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/251ba05988e0ba9b81005bf8a7a797d6d0ce8872\/0_230_3500_2100\/master\/3500.jpg?w=300&amp;q=55&amp;auto=format&amp;usm=12&amp;fit=max&amp;s=dfe01c66b57b2c45232da0900846c712\" alt=\"Indian commuters drive and cycle through air pollution in Delhi the day after Diwali.\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption caption--main caption--img\">Indian commuters drive and cycle through air pollution in Delhi the day after Diwali. Photograph: Dominique Faget\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"content__meta-container js-content-meta js-football-meta u-cf\n\n    \"><\/p>\n<div class=\"meta__extras \">\n<div class=\"meta__social\">\n<ul class=\"social social--top js-social--top u-unstyled u-cf\">\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--facebook \"><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--twitter \"><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--email \"><\/li>\n<li class=\"js-social__secondary social__item social__item--more js-social__item--more\"><button class=\"meta-button social-tray__button\"><span class=\"u-h\">View more sharing options<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"meta__numbers\">\n<div class=\"meta__number js-sharecount\" title=\"Facebook: 228\">\n<h3 class=\"sharecount__heading\"><span class=\"sharecount__text u-h\">Shares<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"sharecount__value sharecount__value--short\">228<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"u-h meta__number\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"byline\">Reuters<\/p>\n<p class=\"content__dateline\">Friday 20 October 2017<span class=\"content__dateline-time\">03.21\u00a0EDT<\/span>Last modified on Friday 20 October 2017<span class=\"content__dateline-time\">06.32\u00a0EDT<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content__article-body from-content-api js-article__body\">\n<p>Air pollution in Delhi has hit 18 times the healthy limit and left the city under a thick, toxic haze after <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/diwali\">Diwali<\/a> was celebrated with a night of fireworks \u2013 despite a court-ordered ban on their sales.<\/p>\n<p>Residents of the Indian capital, which already ranks among the world\u2019s most polluted cities, complained of watering eyes and aggravated coughs as <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/cities\/datablog\/2017\/feb\/13\/most-polluted-cities-world-listed-region\">levels of PM2.5<\/a>, ultra-fine particles of less than 2.5 microns, rose alarmingly on Friday.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail element-rich-link--upgraded\">\n<div class=\"rich-link tone-news--item \">\n<div class=\"rich-link__container\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__image-container u-responsive-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/cb7690e3c6c6d4f0a0ce272480afd9dac5672216\/0_0_1445_867\/master\/1445.jpg?w=460&amp;q=55&amp;auto=format&amp;usm=12&amp;fit=max&amp;s=295b034f5eb2865209b40a92cf9a7f38\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-link__header\">\n<h1 class=\"rich-link__title\"><a class=\"rich-link__link\">Pant by numbers: the cities with the most dangerous air \u2013 listed<\/a><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-link__read-more\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__arrow\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-link__read-more-text\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Air quality usually worsens in Delhi before Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, and the supreme court temporarily banned the sale of firecrackers, with the aim of reducing the health risks.<\/p>\n<p>However many still lit fireworks across the city late into the night, either using old stock or buying them from neighbouring states.<\/p>\n<p>Some environmental activists said the court order was poorly enforced and firecrackers were still available.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBreathe nitrate and ammonia, home grown, hand made!\u201d said environmentalist Vimlendu Jha in a tweet calling for city authorities to declare a public emergency.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"img-2\" class=\"element element-image img--landscape  fig--narrow-caption fig--has-shares \">\n<div class=\"u-responsive-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gu-image\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/462f8d245754f6b36596330b69d178305a97d542\/0_0_3500_2333\/master\/3500.jpg?w=300&amp;q=55&amp;auto=format&amp;usm=12&amp;fit=max&amp;s=0f107ac2015750298d927fd4c2b43f53\" alt=\"People using firecrackers celebrating Diwali Festival despite the ban imposed by the Supreme Court of India to control the air pollution in New Delhi\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"block-share block-share--article  hide-on-mobile \"><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--facebook js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=180444840287&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2017%2Foct%2F20%2Fdelhi-covered-in-toxic-haze-after-night-of-diwali-fireworks%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb%26page%3Dwith%3Aimg-2%23img-2&amp;picture=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.guim.co.uk%2F462f8d245754f6b36596330b69d178305a97d542%2F0_0_3500_2333%2F3500.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--twitter js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Delhi%20covered%20in%20toxic%20haze%20after%20night%20of%20Diwali%20fireworks&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2017%2Foct%2F20%2Fdelhi-covered-in-toxic-haze-after-night-of-diwali-fireworks%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_tw%26page%3Dwith%3Aimg-2%23img-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--pinterest js-blockshare-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?description=Delhi%20covered%20in%20toxic%20haze%20after%20night%20of%20Diwali%20fireworks&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2017%2Foct%2F20%2Fdelhi-covered-in-toxic-haze-after-night-of-diwali-fireworks%3Fpage%3Dwith%3Aimg-2%23img-2&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.guim.co.uk%2F462f8d245754f6b36596330b69d178305a97d542%2F0_0_3500_2333%2F3500.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Pinterest<\/span><\/a><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption caption--img caption caption--img\">People using firecrackers celebrating Diwali Festival despite the ban imposed by the Supreme Court of India to control the air pollution in New Delhi Photograph: Dominique Faget\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>An index of air quality had crossed the hazardous limit of 300 on Friday, the most severe level on a US embassy scale of measurement, which rates a reading of 50 as good and anything above that as a cause for concern.<\/p>\n<div class=\"teads-inread\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"dfp-ad--inline1\" class=\"js-ad-slot ad-slot ad-slot--inline ad-slot--inline1 u-h ad-slot--rendered\">\n<div class=\"ad-slot__label\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/59666047\/theguardian.com\/world\/article\/ng_5__container__\" class=\"ad-slot__content\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Some parts of Delhi, such as Mandir Marg, showed an air quality reading of 941, close to the maximum of 999, beyond which no readings are available. The index measures concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide, among other indicators.<\/p>\n<p>When air quality reaches a hazardous level, people may experience ill effects and are advised to stay indoors.<\/p>\n<p>Apart from the firecracker ban, the supreme court also ordered diesel generators and a power plant to be shut down to try to reduce pollution. The Environment<a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/pollution\">Pollution<\/a> (Prevention and Control) Authority also ordered some brick kilns to close and for the burning of rubbish to be stopped.<\/p>\n<p>Dipankar Saha, a scientist at the Central Pollution Control Board, said the still weather had also played a part in the toxic haze hanging over the city.<\/p>\n<p>However, pollution levels were better than during last year\u2019s Diwali, he said, when the firework residue combined with crop burning in nearby states.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was going to be hard to beat last year\u2019s level in any case,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"img-3\" class=\"element element-image img--landscape  fig--narrow-caption fig--has-shares \">\n<div class=\"u-responsive-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gu-image\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4ba4ba6fc7e9176ee27a7f7e131cd88651c5e314\/0_0_3397_1986\/master\/3397.jpg?w=300&amp;q=55&amp;auto=format&amp;usm=12&amp;fit=max&amp;s=5d11a7c4e6f1a600afb55434f08ed027\" alt=\"An Indian girl passing the street littered with spent crackers at day after the Diwali in New Delhi.\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"block-share block-share--article  hide-on-mobile \"><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--facebook js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=180444840287&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2017%2Foct%2F20%2Fdelhi-covered-in-toxic-haze-after-night-of-diwali-fireworks%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb%26page%3Dwith%3Aimg-3%23img-3&amp;picture=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.guim.co.uk%2F4ba4ba6fc7e9176ee27a7f7e131cd88651c5e314%2F0_0_3397_1986%2F3397.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--twitter js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Delhi%20covered%20in%20toxic%20haze%20after%20night%20of%20Diwali%20fireworks&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2017%2Foct%2F20%2Fdelhi-covered-in-toxic-haze-after-night-of-diwali-fireworks%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_tw%26page%3Dwith%3Aimg-3%23img-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--pinterest js-blockshare-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?description=Delhi%20covered%20in%20toxic%20haze%20after%20night%20of%20Diwali%20fireworks&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2017%2Foct%2F20%2Fdelhi-covered-in-toxic-haze-after-night-of-diwali-fireworks%3Fpage%3Dwith%3Aimg-3%23img-3&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.guim.co.uk%2F4ba4ba6fc7e9176ee27a7f7e131cd88651c5e314%2F0_0_3397_1986%2F3397.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Pinterest<\/span><\/a><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption caption--img caption caption--img\">An Indian girl passing the street littered with spent crackers at day after the Diwali in New Delhi. Photograph: EPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"submeta\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Air pollution in Indian capital hits 18 times the healthy limit despite supreme court ban on sale of firecrackers Indian commuters drive and cycle through air pollution in Delhi the day after Diwali. Photograph: Dominique Faget\/AFP\/Getty Images View more sharing options Shares 228 Reuters Friday 20 October 201703.21\u00a0EDTLast modified on Friday 20 October 201706.32\u00a0EDT Air pollution in Delhi has hit&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/2017\/10\/20\/delhi-covered-in-toxic-haze-after-night-of-diwali-fireworks\/\">Read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article-post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/73"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1034"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1034\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1035,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1034\/revisions\/1035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}