Capital puts restrictions on cars

NEW DELHI — Authorities restricted many private vehicles from taking to the roads of India’s capital on Monday amid a public health crisis that has left New Delhi residents gasping and their eyes burning from toxic air pollution.

The “odd-even” scheme will restrict private vehicles with odd-number license plates to driving on odd dates while evennumbered plates are allowed on even-numbered dates. It began days after authorities instituted emergency control measures and ordered the closure of schools as pollution levels reached a three-year high.

The state-run Central Pollution Control Board’s air quality index for New Delhi was “severe” at 436, about nine times the recommended maximum.

Air pollution in New Delhi and northern Indian states peaks in the winter as farmers in neighboring agricultural regions set fire to clear land after the harvest and prepare for the next crop season. The pollution in the Indian capital also peaks after Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of light, when people set off fireworks.

Some people distraught over the pollution said they wanted to leave the city of more than 20 million people due to its poor air quality.

“I feel like moving out as well because I’m young and I’m still on a stage of building up my life and my career,” resident Divyam Mathur said.

Traffic police officers, wearing protective masks, signaled cars to stop for not following the vehicle restrictions on Monday. New Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed for residents to follow the rule and for private taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers to support it.

Authorities said almost 1.2 million registered vehicles in New Delhi will be off the road every day during the two-week restrictions.

“I don’t think this oddeven scheme will do anything. It’s mostly the stubble burning in the states of Punjab and Haryana which contributes to the pollution, and industrial pollution is also high,” said Ajay Jasra, a New Delhi resident.