deadly political calculations: why india isn't fixing its toxic smog problem - top air purifiers

NEW DELHI (Reuters)-
With pollution levels soaring to "severe" and "dangerous" levels in New Delhi this week, there is little sign that residents of the Indian capital have done a lot of work to protect themselves.
Smog is expected to deteriorate in the next few days, with the recommended limit of dangerous particles that people are exposed to on Monday as high as 24 times.
But unlike many Chinese cities, masks are common in times of severe smog, but few locals are still seeing measures to reduce exposure.
Toddlers stand at the school station in neat uniforms, while security guards, street sweepers and rickshaw drivers breathe for hours in the dirty air outside --
No attempt to protect. Ask middle-
If the class residents have air purifiers at home, the answer is always no.
Despite widespread reports from local media about the pollution crisis in the capital, including numerous warnings from doctors about large-scale health hazards, especially for children, patients and the elderly.
Apparent lack of attention to toxic air
Whether it's the blind influence of ignorance, indifference or poverty
Pollution activists, social scientists and political experts say it provides federal and local politicians with the cover they need to fail to tackle the problem vigorously.
Neither the ruling party at the federal level nor the main opposition is in power in the capital, which leaves them with no incentive to work with the city authorities.
Although the population of Delhi may exceed 20 million, its importance in voting time --
National elections will be held by next May
Compared with the neighboring states of the North (Uttar Pradesh) and other states with a population of 0. 22 billion, this is trivial.
"The tragedy is that there is no political will at all in the federal government or the Delhi state government, so we can see that both sides blame each other for the crisis we are in," said political pollster Jogendra Yadav.
"No matter what small government action you see, it's because of the pressure from environmental activists and the Supreme Court.
The smog problem in India is far beyond Delhi-
1 country.
According to the World Health Organization, 14 of the world's 15 most polluted cities are 3 billion.
But at least in the capital, the problem should be solved this year.
On October and last November, a cocktail of toxic smoke shrouded the area, and the Delhi municipal government declared it a public health emergency, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal calling the Indian capital a "gas chamber ".
Federal officials say Prime Minister Modi's office has asked them to ensure similar incidents do not occur.
But the steps taken so far have not had much impact, and now with the fingers
Dialogue between the Modi government, the Delhi municipal government and the state governments around the capital.
As the crisis worsened this year, the Environment Ministers of Punjab and Haryana
Stubble of farmers
Burning is the main cause of smog
Instead of attending a meeting held last week by the federal environment department, they sent their civil servants.
Farmers have been burning their fields while preparing for new planting, although the government has provided them with mechanical subsidies that allow them to cover the material to the ground without fire.
Farmers say the subsidies are not sufficient to cover the price of the machinery, the cost of running the machinery and the additional labor required, especially in the event of an increase in fuel prices.
The Indian government said in a statement on Thursday that it plans to reduce crop burning by 70% this year, but so far it has fallen by only 30%.
A city government spokesman accused this of being the main reason for the toxic air in New Delhi, saying: "We cannot take separate measures in Delhi;
We can't build a wall.
At the same time, the federal government has attacked the city for doing little to control dust, cars and industrial pollution.
Of course, there is little to be done to reduce the number of heavily polluting vehicles in and around Delhi, and although threats have been issued, they have not been implemented, including one in the Supreme Court --
Bureau of Environmental Pollution Control (EPCA)
All private cars are prohibited from the city.
While the national Supreme Court has issued a ruling trying to limit the use of fireworks on the evening of Diwali in India, which is Wednesday, few expect it to be enforced.
On the one hand, the law of the court is only "green", less
Contaminated firecrackers can be set off between 8 p hours. m. and 10 p. m.
It is likely to be ignored because there is no "green" fireworks for sale in the city. WAKE-UP CALL?
Most officials expect more serious pollution in November.
The smoke in the celebration is mixed with smoke from other sources to form a deadly cocktail.
At this time of year, slight seasonal winds and lack of rain mean pollution can last for weeks as it did last year.
But Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist BJPBJP)
People are more concerned about the impact of weak agricultural income, high fuel prices, and whether job creation is sufficient as a question of opinion polls.
Pavan K Varma said: "The overall approach is hard to imagine in the current climate, because political differences mean that politicians are not looking for lasting solutions, "Officials of a regional party in Bihar and former diplomats living in Delhi.
The New Delhi government that helped Kejriwal was neither in the interests of the BJP nor in the interests of the main opposition parliament.
At 2015, Kejriwal's-
Establish Aadmi air-to-air missile (Common Man)
Party, in an-
The corruption platform shattered the control of the city by the People's Party and Congress.
It was a nightmare for doctors in Delhi.
The number of patients with severe lung problems has increased by 25% this year and is expected to increase further after the Lantern Festival, said government chest doctor Desh Deepak
Manage Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
"The children are suffering, it is tragic, and if we do not recognize that pollution needs to be resolved on the basis of war, we will destroy the entire generation, dr Neeraj Jain, head of chest medicine at Sir Drigan garam Hospital, said.
A well-known sociologist, Dipankar Gupta, wrote a book about Indian society, saying that only a large number of state interventions could solve the problem.
He pointed out that pollution levels in Beijing improved last year as the government took strict measures to curb the pollution industry near the capital.
But there seems to be a long way to go for the government's crackdown.
EPCA announced a series of measures in November. 1-
As part of the emergency response programme, including the use of sprinklers and a total ban on buildings.
But most environmental experts say the problem is too little, too late, and there is no solution to the biggest source of pollution.
Modi has not publicly resolved the health crisis that has plagued the capital.
Bad forecasts mean foreign organizations, including the Delhi embassy, find it difficult to find top talent to come to the city.
"Employees with young children are increasingly choosing not to come, which was not the case a few years ago," a Western diplomat, who declined to be named, told Reuters . ".
However, most of the city's residents are poor and are more worried about making enough money to buy food than pollution.
"Work every day. . .
"There is no room for thinking about smog and smog," said Vimla Devi . " He works as a maid in the suburbs of Delhi.