Despite unhealthy air quality, schools reopen in northern India

Schools in the Indian capital New Delhi have reopened even though fog and air pollution stay at unhealthy levels in most parts of northern India, including the capital city.

Children, many wearing face masks, returned to schools in New Delhi and its surrounding cities on Wednesday.

The schools and education centers were closed for two days due to a spike in air pollution that prompted protests by residents and environmental groups.

Air quality index over the weekend in some areas of New Delhi read 500 that was 10 times the recommended the World Health Organization (WHO) level.

Anything above 401 is classified as "severe." Air pollution at that level can seriously affect those with existing respiratory illnesses, and even those who are otherwise healthy. Environmental experts say Delhi's toxic air is particularly dangerous to children.

On Tuesday night, hundreds of people gathered at a war memorial at the center of Delhi, to protest persistently high pollution levels and demand action from the government.

"People are angry because it's a collective failure and politicians need to come together to chalk out a comprehensive plan to address this crisis," said Vimlendu Jha, an environmentalist who founded the activist group Swechha.

Experts say any increase in the burning of crop stubble in Punjab and Haryana states - part of India's farm belt that borders Delhi - would lead to an increase in pollution levels.

The burning of crop residues have helped turn India's capital into the most polluted major city in the world.

PressTV-India's top court orders complete halt to stubble burning

India's top court orders a complete halt to stubble burning in a bid to cut the pollution enveloping in the capital, Delhi.

Indian authorities have barred smoke-spewing cargo trucks from city streets, experimented at limiting the number of cars on the road and tried to snuff out stubble and garbage fires and ordered builders to cover construction sites to stop dust from enveloping the area.

But the battle is not over as authorities tackle a large amount of toxic foam floating in the Yamuna River, caused partly by high ammonia levels emanating from industrial pollutants.

Water from the river is chemically treated before being supplied to Delhi's nearly 20 million residents as drinking water.

"The water is absolutely black in color," said Hari Lal, a New Delhi resident who was on the river bank Wednesday. "The water is all chemical."

Kujan Sahani, a worker from eastern Bihar state, complained that his nose and eyes burned and he was feeling breathlessness.

PressTV-India's smog-bound capital suffers most hazardous air

Air pollution in New Delhi and surrounding towns reached the worst levels so far this year on Sunday (November 3), with authorities in the world's most polluted capital city having already declared a public health emergency and ordered the closure of schools.

Of the world's most polluted 30 cities, 22 are in India, according to research by IQ AirVisual, a Swiss-based group that gathers air-quality data globally, and Greenpeace.

The remaining eight cities are all in Pakistan, Bangladesh and China 

All these rankings are based on average air quality per year.

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