A public health emergency was declared in Delhi on the afternoon of November 1, 2019, after air quality plunged to ‘severe plus’ levels since the night of October 31.

On Friday i.e. 1^st November 2019, at around 11 am, the overall air quality index (AQI) was around 530. An AQI between 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’. Above 500 is ‘severe-plus’ or ‘emergency’ category.  The levels of particulate matter (PM) 10 and 2.5 were above 500 and 300 microgramme per cubic metre (ug/m3) respectively, five times more than their prescribed standard.

Delhi had been shrouded in a thick blanket of haze since November 1 morning. Out of 37 monitoring stations in the capital from which the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) collates data, all except five (for which data could not be computed), showed air quality in the ‘severe’ category.

The Environment Pollution (Prevention) and Control Authority (EPCA) on November 1 gave directions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to completely ban all construction activities in the national capital and adjoining regions of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Noida, and Greater Noida through the morning of November 5, 2019.  Since then the pollution level has decreased a little due to sporadic rains in the National Capital but still, it is around 250-300 every day to date.

In response to the public health emergency due to air pollution in the national capital i.e. Delhi (India), Caritas India reached out to 450 street vendors, auto drivers, rickshaw pullers, etc. on 19^th December 2019 for distribution of air pollution masks in MG Road and Huda City Center, Gurugram (Delhi NCR region), the most vulnerable population i.e. who are most exposed to the toxic air through support of 20 Blackrock volunteers. Volunteers also supported in the distribution of anti-pollution awareness pamphlets on Metro station to the commuters for awareness generation.

The IEC focused on – how to minimize the effect/ impact of air pollution, especially during winters when the toxic air combines with fog to become a toxic mixture of “smog” which settles down at the lower levels of the atmosphere leading to the very high exposure of the most vulnerable. The campaign also focused on issues such as – what polluted air causes, what it may lead to, high-risk groups, how to protect oneself, things to avoid and other health hazards to watch out for.

“The campaign was a very good initiative by Caritas India as the cause is close to his heart and it is time to act if not together but at least at the individual level” was expressed by Mr. Amrik, one of the volunteering staff from Blackrock.