The New Delhi government has reintroduced an odd-even traffic rule and suspended most school classes for the week as severe air pollution in the Indian capital continues despite measures introduced last week.
New Delhi and financial capital Mumbai, the country's most populous cities, have been experiencing high levels of air pollution since last month, setting off alarm over public health.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the rule – which allows vehicles with odd and even numbers to be used only on alternate days – would initially be in force from November 13 to November 20 but might be extended.
The Delhi government also decided to form 200 teams to ensure people comply with a fireworks ban during the Hindu festival of Diwali later this week, Mr Rai said after an emergency meeting convened by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
School classes for only pupils in grades 10 and 12 will be held this week, he said on Monday.
Delhi's air pollution remains high despite a ban on construction and heavy vehicles in the city.
The Air Quality Index reading at the Anand Vihar monitoring station stood at 999 on Monday morning, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good while 51-100 is satisfactory and 101-200 moderate, according to India's air quality standards.
However, a reading of 201-300 is considered poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 severe.
The city's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government last week instructed half of its employees to work from home and extended the closure of primary schools to November 10 as residents complained of respiratory problems.
Mr Rai said authorities were using dust control machines, water sprinklers and anti-smog guns across the city.
People living in the capital's satellite cities of Noida and Greater Noida, in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh state, said the pollution was forcing them to stay indoors.
“My energy level has gone down in the last few days and my eyes are stinging all the time. I have good immunity, with hardly any complaints of cough and cold, but I have been persistently coughing now,” Greater Noida resident Teesha Rathi told The National.
“I am staying home with all doors and windows closed and planning to buy an air purifier.”
Sanchi Yadav, a mother of two toddlers, said her mother and children were facing health challenges due to the air pollution.
“The pollution has had a huge impact on my mother’s health. She is diabetic and is undergoing treatment for her eyes these days, but because of pollution her eyes are burning,” she said.
“My children are having colds and coughs and despite long medication, are not recovering. We are at home but it’s very suffocated because we are not getting fresh air. We hope that the government will take protective measures to curb this, which has become routine every year.”
The Delhi government has blamed the pollution crisis on farm fires in the neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab, where farmers burn the stubble of the previous crop to prepare their fields for planting.
“The stubble burning in Punjab is about 500km away from here and the stubble burning in Haryana is 100km away. An analysis should be done on anti-pollution measures taken by the Khattar government in Haryana since 2014,” said AAP spokeswoman Priyanka Kakkar.
Delhi suffers from air pollution throughout the year but the problem becomes worse with the onset of winter in November, when pollutants and smoke carried by the wind from Haryana and Punjab mix with the city's air to form a noxious blanket of smog.
The pollution has been equally alarming in Mumbai where about half of the 23 monitoring stations in the city recorded AQI readings of between 200 and 300 on Monday morning.
The most severe reading recorded was 278 in the city's Deonar area, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
The Mumbai High Court is on Monday set to hear a plea seeking direction from the Mumbai civic body and the state government on how to curb pollution.
A central government team is scheduled to visit the city to assess air quality and the steps taken by the state government to improve it.
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SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
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FIXTURES
Fixtures for Round 15 (all times UAE)
Friday
Inter Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
Saturday
Atalanta v Verona (6pm)
Udinese v Napoli (9pm)
Lazio v Juventus (11.45pm)
Sunday
Lecce v Genoa (3.30pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (6pm)
SPAL v Brescia (6pm)
Torino v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sampdoria v Parma (9pm)
Bologna v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO
What: Brazil v South Korea
When: Tonight, 5.30pm
Where: Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Virtuzone GCC Sixes
Date and venue Friday and Saturday, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City
Time Matches start at 9am
Groups
A Blighty Ducks, Darjeeling Colts, Darjeeling Social, Dubai Wombats; B Darjeeling Veterans, Kuwait Casuals, Loose Cannons, Savannah Lions; C Awali Taverners, Darjeeling, Dromedary, Darjeeling Good Eggs
Pakistan T20 series squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammed Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
EXPATS
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
Disturbing%20facts%20and%20figures
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E51%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20of%20parents%20in%20the%20UAE%20feel%20like%20they%20are%20failing%20within%20the%20first%20year%20of%20parenthood%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E57%25%20vs%2043%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20is%20the%20number%20of%20mothers%20versus%20the%20number%20of%20fathers%20who%20feel%20they%E2%80%99re%20failing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E28%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20of%20parents%20believe%20social%20media%20adds%20to%20the%20pressure%20they%20feel%20to%20be%20perfect%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E55%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20of%20parents%20cannot%20relate%20to%20parenting%20images%20on%20social%20media%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E67%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20of%20parents%20wish%20there%20were%20more%20honest%20representations%20of%20parenting%20on%20social%20media%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E53%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20of%20parents%20admit%20they%20put%20on%20a%20brave%20face%20rather%20than%20being%20honest%20due%20to%20fear%20of%20judgment%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-size%3A%2014px%3B%22%3ESource%3A%20YouGov%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
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The UAE's journey to space
