Schools and colleges in Delhi and half a dozen satellite cities have been closed and coal power plants shut following a dangerous spike in toxic air pollutants in the region.
Delhi has been reeling under a dangerous spell of pollution in recent weeks that has seen India’s Supreme Court slam the government and recommend a “pollution lockdown” to battle the noxious air scourge.
The government-run Commission for Air Quality Management late on Tuesday ordered the closure of educational institutions and halted construction activities in the Indian capital and its adjoining cities until the weekend.
Schools in Delhi were closed last week for a seven-day period following stinging remarks by the top court, that expressed concerns about the impact of pollution on children's health.
The Supreme Court has criticised the government over the lack of emergency measures and condemned authorities for their lack of preparedness to mitigate the crisis, that worsens every winter.
Coal plants shut
Last week, the court told the government to consider imposing a lockdown to battle the pollution.
The court’s recommendation stirred the government to take fresh measures that include shutting down all coal-fired power plants surrounding the megacity of 20 million residents until the end of the month and banning the entry of non-essential heavy vehicles into the city.
The court also said the government should allow 50 per cent of public sector staff to work from home to cut down on vehicular pollution. But the central government resisted the move, arguing that it would have a nationwide impact on governance.
Delhi is the country’s power centre, where top ministers and staff run hundreds of offices.
“One hundred less vehicles on the road does less to reduce pollution but causes pan-India ramifications for us as several government functions were affected due to Covid-19 for substantially a long period of time,” Tushar Mehta, India’s Solicitor General told the court.
However, Mr Mehta said “an advisory on carpooling” had been issued for employees in Delhi, where vehicular pollution is a leading element in the cloud of smog that blankets the city.
Delhi’s overall air pollution index hovered in the “very poor” category, at 379 on Wednesday morning, according to the government-run System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research.
PM 2.5 — the finest particulate matter blamed for chronic lung and heart diseases — hovered around 200, nearly a dozen times more than World Health Organisation safe limits.
A thick layer of yellow smog has enveloped Delhi — one of the most polluted capital cities in the world — since the beginning of the month.
Emissions from millions of vehicles, factories, construction and road dust are the main contaminants. Successive governments have also blamed seasonal stubble burning in the vast farmlands of neighbouring Punjab and Haryana states for the pollution crisis in the region.
The city government said it will be hiring 1,000 private CNG-run buses to strengthen the city's sparse public transport.
It is also considering implementing a ban on the service of 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles, which an environmental court has supported.
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
UAE's final round of matches
- Sep 1, 2016 Beat Japan 2-1 (away)
- Sep 6, 2016 Lost to Australia 1-0 (home)
- Oct 6, 2016 Beat Thailand 3-1 (home)
- Oct 11, 2016 Lost to Saudi Arabia 3-0 (away)
- Nov 15, 2016 Beat Iraq 2-0 (home)
- Mar 23, 2017 Lost to Japan 2-0 (home)
- Mar 28, 2017 Lost to Australia 2-0 (away)
- June 13, 2017 Drew 1-1 with Thailand (away)
- Aug 29, 2017 v Saudi Arabia (home)
- Sep 5, 2017 v Iraq (away)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Meydan card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (PA) Group 1 US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm: Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
7.40pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) $100,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,200m
8.50pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) Group 2 $350,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Read more about the coronavirus
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Emiratisation at work
Emiratisation was introduced in the UAE more than 10 years ago
It aims to boost the number of citizens in the workforce particularly in the private sector.
Growing the number of Emiratis in the workplace will help the UAE reduce dependence on overseas workers
The Cabinet in December last year, approved a national fund for Emirati jobseekers and guaranteed citizens working in the private sector a comparable pension
President Sheikh Khalifa has described Emiratisation as “a true measure for success”.
During the UAE’s 48th National Day, Sheikh Khalifa named education, entrepreneurship, Emiratisation and space travel among cornerstones of national development
More than 80 per cent of Emiratis work in the federal or local government as per 2017 statistics
The Emiratisation programme includes the creation of 20,000 new jobs for UAE citizens
UAE citizens will be given priority in managerial positions in the government sphere
The purpose is to raise the contribution of UAE nationals in the job market and create a diverse workforce of citizens
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
More on animal trafficking
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
