Cut exposure to toxic air, pvt car use from Nov 1-10, says CPCB

NEW DELHI: With the air quality in Delhi and its environs expected to deteriorate between November 1 and November 10, the Central Pollution Control Board has recommended that people avoid strenuous exercises, try to minimize their exposure to the toxic air, and cut down the use of private cars. The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority will now take a call based on CPCB’s recommendations and pass an order, likely on Saturday. CPCB expects pollution in the area to be at its worst because of toxic fumes from stubble burning in parts of Punjab and Haryana that are expected to gush into Delhi.

Delhi has been already reeling under ‘very poor’ air quality over the past three days and conditions are likely to deteriorate further over the weekend, CPCB’s forecasting system and SAFAR, which comes under the union ministry of earth sciences, has already said.

“Between November 1 and 10 meteorological conditions may not be favourable for Delhi as a result of which air quality could deteriorate. Based on our past two years of experiences, the CPCB’s task force met on Friday and has recommended some preventive and proactive measures to EPCA,” said P Gargava, member secretary of the CPCB.

The recommendations include a ban on all civil construction and excavation activities in the entire National Capital Region between November 1 and 10; a closure of coal and biomass based industries (excluding thermal power plants and waste to energy plants) between November 4 and November 10; and an intensification of efforts by the traffic police and transport department to check visibly polluting vehicles and reduce traffic jams in Delhi.