Construction Causing Severe Pollution in Delhi. Health Emergency Declared
Construction Causing Severe Pollution in Delhi. Health Emergency Declared
As poisonous pollution has engulfed India’s capital New Delhi, the city has been declared environmentally hazardous for human living.
While the Air Quality Index (AQI) in all parts of Delhi has been hovering around 800, the international limit for life-threatening pollution is only 30.
It has been observed that mass exodus is happening while many people are leaving the city to settle at safer places away from Delhi.
While authorities have closed schools, a panel constituted by the Supreme Court of India on November 1 declared a state of public health emergency in Delhi-NCR (national capital region) in view of lethal levels of air pollution, and the panel has imposed a ban on all construction activities.
Additionally, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority has banned construction activities and now no construction can take place in Delhi until the ban is lifted by the authorities.
It is reported that on Saturday (November 2), 38 people were arrested from sites of five real estate groups for carrying out construction activities despite the ban.
Ironically, however, the government has allowed massive construction to take place under a dubious floor area ratio (FAR) construction policy. The dangerous FAR construction is happening in Delhi’s housing complexes where millions of people live.
Since the entire FAR scheme is supported by corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, even courts are not quite eager to stop FAR construction which is spreading lethal dust pollution and further polluting the air in Delhi.
It is estimated that nearly 40% of air pollution in Delhi is because of construction dust while the government is not taking any steps to stop FAR construction which is causing enormous diseases and deaths in housing societies.
