Big Story: WHO aims high, Delhi goes low
“Fun” at any cost: Delhiites blatantly defied the ban on burning firecrackers, only to face horrendous air quality the next day. | Image credit: Indianexpress.com
WHO’s first ever conference on air pollution concluded with an aim to reduce air pollution related deaths by 2/3 by 2030. Intriguing as that may sound, India too made a tall promise to reduce air pollution levels in definitive percentage terms. Keeping 2019 as the base year, India aims to reduce air pollution by 30% in 5 years.
However, just a week after the announcement, Delhi residents violated Supreme Court’s order on bursting crackers, more than 300 people were arrested for doing so, a member of the ruling political party announced support for those arrested, and Delhi recorded the season’s worst air quality levels for the year.