NEW DELHI (AP) – New Delhi has closed its schools, halted construction and ordered that all roads be doused with water to settle dust as crippling air pollution continues to engulf the Indian capital.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told reporters after an emergency meeting of his Cabinet on Sunday that schools will be shut for three days and all construction halted for at least five days. He said a coal-fueled power plant on the edges of the city will be shut for 10 days.
New Delhi, one of the world’s dirtiest cities, saw levels of PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter that can clog lungs – soar to over 900 micrograms per cubic meter Saturday. That’s over 90 times the level considered safe by the World Health Organization and 15 times the Indian government’s norms.