On pollution due to fire cracker on Delhi

With pollution levels crossing the dangerous mark in the city, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today called a high-level meeting will all departments concerned to discuss steps to combat it on a ‘war footing’. The meeting will be held at the Delhi Secretariat where all ministers and officials concerned will discuss a plan to bring down rising air pollution.

Delhi: The Delhi Government's anti-firecracker campaign went up in smoke on Diwali night. With just a slight dip in fireworks but more adverse weather than last year, Diwali celebrations exposed Delhiites to alarmingly high pollution levels.

Delhi's killer air - it's now everyday dinner table conversation in the capital. That's because we're all affected by it. For those with respiratory illnesses, it's an absolute nightmare. According to one study, Delhi's air pollution levels have gone so high in the last 10 days that just breathing the toxic air of Delhi right now is like smoking 14 cigarettes a day. Today, Delhi's Health Minister Satyendra Jain came up with a unique proposal. The AAP government is going to install air purifiers and mist fountains at major intersections in the city.

For those living in the national capital and other big cities, the day after Diwali has been a breathless one. According to the Centre for Science and Environment, in Delhi, Diwali pollution has not just worsened this year, but is also more toxic. Figures show that the deadly PM 2.5, which are tiny particles that penetrate the lungs, were nearly 40 times above the safe level. Low wind speeds have added to the problem. This is a public health emergency, but are we serious about tackling pollution?

Temperatures are falling, Diwali is around the corner and in many parts of the country people are finding it difficult to breathe. Delhi is choked, full of smog, dust and smoke as a result of crop burning in Punjab but if we think this is bad, what is Diwali and its burst of chemical laden firecrackers going to bring?

Over the past few days Delhi’s Air Quality Index is at levels considered hazardous. As the capital city gears up to celebrate Diwali we are debating what can be done to clean-up Delhi’s air.

Last year, a government testing laboratory found 'excess' lead in Maggi - one of the most popular brands of instant noodles. The brand ambassadors of the product, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta were not only flayed on social media but a case was filed against them in a local court in Uttar Pradesh. The case rested on the logic that celebrities should be held accountable for any product they endorse, since the celebrities, have a mass following and have the ability to sway people.

These NASA image explains why it's getting difficult to breathe in Delhi

With almost 400 people dying every day on Indian roads, issue of traffic accident deaths is something which have not been taken very seriously. Road safety is not only long ignored but brushes aside as a non-important issue. Though the government has passed the much awaited Motor Vehicle Bill in parliament but the question still remains, is it the legislation or the education which can address the problem of Road safety. We talk to stakeholders and seek solutions and identify the road blocks.