India's capital Delhi has been suffering due to high levels of air pollution and smog for a while now. Amidst the panic of citizens and authorities alike, the city is struggling to find fresh air. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is seeking meetings with neighbouring states to chalk out ways of combating pollution, which he believes occurred mainly through stubble burning.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has agreed with the Delhi government to implement the Odd-Even scheme from November 13 to November 17 in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR). However, the tribunal refused to exempt two-wheelers, government staff and women drivers from the rule.
Schools have been tentatively closed until Sunday and people have been asked to stay indoors as much as possible. The NGT has also stated, "Odd-Even scheme must be implemented in Delhi NCR as and when PM 10 crosses 300 level and PM 2.5 crosses 500.
A ray of hope is visible on the horizon for Delhi residents as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday that the capital region will have improved air conditions from today as wind speed is expected to rise, going up to 19-20 kilometres. The temperature is also expected to increase a little, bringing further relief for the choked souls.
A meeting was held between Kejriwal and the NGT for finding a solution to the pollution problem. As the parties failed to reach an agreement on certain issues like Odd-Even exemption, parking fee hikes, etc, the next meeting has been scheduled for November 14.
As Delhi people wait for a respite from the dire situation, IBTimes Singapore brings you a compilation of images from the capital city of India that perfectly express the plight of the metropolitan.