Thousands run in Delhi amid calls to fight pollution

SERIOUS THREAT: Increased stubble burning in the western Punjab districts despite Green Tribunal directions continues to pose a threat

NEW DELHI: Thousands of runners including world champions joined the Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday in one of the world’s most polluted cities despite health warnings from doctors.

A record 35,000 participants had registered for the event which besides the main event included categories such as a senior citizens run, organisers Procam International said.

Olympic 10,000-metre gold medallist Almaz Ayana won the halfmarathon on her debut while fellow Ethiopian Berhanu Legese regained the title in the men’s category.

The event was dubbed “the world’s most dangerous race” and “huff marathon” by the media after doctors recently declared a public health emergency amid escalating pollution.

Many runners dropped out of the race citing health concerns while others wore masks.

Some who came from outside Delhi complained of burning sensation in eyes and irritation in their throats but the organisers maintained there were no medical emergencies.

Delhi and parts of northern India have been blanketed by a toxic smog since November 8, but light rains in and around the city since Friday helped settle the haze of poisonous particulate matter.

Air quality was still poor and regarded as extremely unhealthy, the Central Pollution Control Board said.

The levels of suspended particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) that are extremely fine and can penetrate and damage lung tissue, were recorded at levels of over 300, up to 12 times the safe limit deemed by the World Health Organization.

Several runners said they participated as a mark of protest since the mass event would flag pollution as a priority issue for Indian policymakers.

“Such huge numbers turning up to run despite the pollution sends a powerful message to the government that it needs to act and fight pollution,” said Vijay Vashisht, a participant who is with the Delhi Runners Group.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday gave the go-ahead for the event after organisers made assurances that they had made arrangements to ensure the safety of runners.

Several ambulances, 75 doctors, 150 paramedics and 1,300 volunteers were deployed and six medical stations set up to deal with any health emergencies, Procam said.

Measures to minimise pollution including suspending traffic and washing the route with a substance that absorbs particulate matter were carried out.

The Indian Medical Association, which had urged the court to postpone the run, said the dangers of running in heavy pollution included increasing the risk of asthma, bronchitis and heart attacks.

Even as the air quality in the National Capital Region, including Delhi, recorded an improvement, increased stubble burning in the western Punjab districts despite the National Green Tribunal directions continues to pose a threat.

With good wind speed and a drop in temperature, air quality in Delhi and surrounding areas was recorded between “poor” and “very poor” during different times on Sunday.

Satellite images from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Sunday showed increased stubble-burning in Punjab’s Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Firozpur, Fazilka, Muktsar, Bathinda, Moga and Kapurthala districts in the past two days.

“Farmers in these districts are burning stubble now since crop residue could not be burnt earlier on due to moisture, and due to the fact that it’s almost time to prepare the fields for the winter crops,” Bharatiya Kisan Union’s Punjab unit member Omkar Singh said. — dpa/IANS