Delhi Smog: CM Arvind Kejriwal urges Delhiites to wear mask as capital turns into gas chamber

The air quality in Delhi has been deteriorated to severe level due to which Kejriwal-led government has ordered to close schools in the national capital till November 5. The air pollution level kept increasing to touch the ‘severe plus’ category.

Kejriwal took to Twitter and blamed the neighboring states Punjab and Haryana for severe pollution in Delhi.

“Delhi has turned into a gas chamber due to smoke from crop burning in neighboring states. It is very imp that we protect ourselves from this toxic air," Delhi CM said.

He also added that “It is very imp that we protect ourselves from this toxic air. Through Pvt & govt schools, we have started distributing 50 lakh masks today.” Kejriwal also urged citizens of Delhi to wear a mask whenever they needed to protect themselves.

Kejriwal also slammed the Haryana government and its CM Manohar Lal Khattar and also blamed Captain Amarinder Singh government in Punjab for "forcing farmers to burn stubble" and said it is the only reason why a toxic haze has shrouded Delhi.

Delhi CM also asked schoolchildren to write a letter to Punjab and Haryana ministers to stop farmers to burn stubble.

However, the air quality in Delhi-NCR deteriorated further Thursday night and is now touches the severe-plus level, EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal said in a letter to the chief secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.

"We have to take this as a public health emergency as air pollution will have an adverse health impact on all, particularly our children," he said in the letter.

Till 5 November, all construction activity has also been banned in the national capital.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the overall air quality in Delhi deteriorated to 425 in the morning.

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