Foreign advisories amid Delhi smog
The United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore have issued advisories to their citizens on health risks posed by Delhi’s polluted winter, urging them to take precautions.
The Singapore High Commission in New Delhi released an urgent advisory asking Singapore nationals in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) to strictly follow directions issued by local authorities. The move comes after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for the Capital and adjoining areas activated the most stringent curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) framework over the weekend.
Restrictions under GRAP Stage IV brings sweeping curbs, including the suspension of construction and certain industrial activities, ban on non-essential truck movement and reduced office attendance. Schools and educational institutions have been directed to shift to hybrid learning modes, while residents—particularly children, senior citizens, and those with respiratory or cardiac ailments—have been advised to stay indoors and wear masks when stepping outside.
Concern over Delhi’s air is not limited to Singapore. The United Kingdom has warned that pollution levels in Delhi and several north Indian cities reach extremely dangerous levels during the winter months, posing a significant health risk. Canada has also cautioned its citizens travelling to Delhi to closely monitor pollution levels, limit outdoor activities and follow local advisories.
