Sajjad Hussain | AFP | Getty Images
A road in New Delhi, India, shrouded in smog on November 8, 2017.
“It’s a public health emergency,” said Dr. Krishnan Kumar Aggarwal, cardiologist and president of the Indian Medical Association. He advised people to limit physical activities when pollution levels were particularly high.
The government has undertaken a series of measures to help residents cope with the pollution levels. As of Wednesday, schools were closed. Officials are reportedly considering implementing traffic restrictions. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali on October 19.
Airtel, the leading sponsor of the Delhi half marathon scheduled for Thursday, has voiced concerns about the race going ahead. “Air pollution poses serious health risks and it is important that these concerns are addressed urgently and appropriately by the authorities for Airtel to continue associating with the event next year and beyond,” said the company in a statement earlier this week.
Delhi, home to nearly 19 million people, is among the world’s most polluted cities according to the World Health Organization.
