UPDATE

With the onset of winter, each year, like this one, the city was once again enveloped in smog. This dense air is loaded with toxic particulate matter, chemicals and heavy metals. As the colder air is unable to circulate and stays close to the ground, the pollutants become trapped. On days when there is an absence of wind, the smog gathers and stays.

 

This year, as per recent data, the levels of particulate matter have scaled new heights,

Crossing 1,000 microgram/m3 (μg/m3) at some locations against the standard

100 microgram/m3. Experts attribute the rise in smog to the massive increase in the number of vehicles as well as other sources. It is in this light that Toxics Link and India International Centre organized a public lecture on November 29, 2012 at IIC.

The lecture seeked to discuss the increasing smog, its causes and repercussion on health and environment. It also attempted to reflect if the city will ever have breathable air, and what is needed for that to happen?

The panelist included eminent speakers like Dr. M. P. George (Scientist-D, Delhi Pollution Control Committee), Ms. Anumita Roy Choudhary (Executive Director-Research & Advocacy, Centre for Science & Environment) and Dr. S. K. Chhabra (Head of Department of Cardio respiratory Physiology Patel Chest Institute).The session was moderated by Mr. Satish Sinha (Associate Director, Toxics Link).