Organisers of half-marathon race used radio waves to beat toxic smog

NEW DELHI: Organisers of New Delhi's half-marathon race used ultra high frequency (UHF) radio waves to clear the air for runners in the hope that it could improve the city's air quality. The technique was among several measures event organizers took to reduce the threat of toxic smog to the race's 35,000 participants on Sunday.

Medical experts last year urged the canceling of the 2017 race as the capital and a large part of northern India were blanketed by smog, partly caused by the smoke from burning crop waste and thousands of firecrackers. Marathon organizers responded by bringing the date of this year's race forward to October, away from November's Diwali festi- val when the firecrackers are set off.

They also tried to reduce the dust that hangs over the city in winter, including reagents from the mining industry to treat roads, dropping water vapor along the course from a height of just over 6 metres. The UHF waves that were used on Sunday dispel pollution from particulate matter measuring only 2.5 microns, known as PM2.5. PM2.5 is about 30 times smaller than a human hair, which allows it to lodge deep in the lungs, damaging the respiratory system.

Managing director of race promoter Procam International, Vivek Singh, said the measures reduced pollution by “at least” 30 per cent during the race, though air quality at monitoring stations near the route were still rated as “very unhealthy” under international standards.

“It was a great day with clear skies and no pollutionrelated incidents among our 35,000 runners,” Singh said. He said the Delhi government, which last year resorted to shutting power stations and banning some cars from roads to clear the air, should look at using the UHF technology, manufactured by a Bangalorebased company Devic Earth, to mitigate pollution.

“We have shown that it works and made a point to tell the authorities,” he added. India is home to the world's 14 most polluted cities.

First-time competitor and carbon market analyst Emily Jackson said: “I did doubt signing up, but it was just the usual morning haze, and didn't feel hard to run in.”