Emission level be displayed on website; promote work from home till Nov 10: Citizen's group to EPCA

A citizen's group has written to EPCA suggesting additional steps that could be taken to curb pollution like putting in public domain emission levels from all industries in Delhi-NCR and urging employers to encourage office-goers to allow work from home till November 10.

Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category Friday despite a slew of measures that were implemented in the national capital ahead of Diwali when a spike in pollution was expected to hit the city.

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was recorded at 368, which falls in the 'very poor' category, according to data by the Central Pollution Control Board.

MyRightToBreathe, a citizen's group Friday said it has committed itself to behavioural change in people to help curb air pollution.

In a statement, the group said it has sent a letter to the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA ), urging it take additional steps for curbing pollution level in the city.

"Emission levels from all industries in Delhi-NCR should be put on websites and in the public domain for people to see who's polluting the air. The forecasting model should be transparent and publicly available," reads the letter.

The group has also suggested to the EPCA to employers to encourage office-goers to allow "work from home till November 10" to the extent possible.

The group claimed that waste-to-energy system in the region is "not well regulated" and suggested its closure till November 10.

"We are a citizens' movement comprising doctors, educationists, environmental scientists, environmentalists, media professionals, entrepreneurs and home-makers. The research across the world has shown determinant impacts of air pollution on health," the letter said.

The ongoing World Health Organization (WHO) conference on air pollution and health brings out the urgency to act on curbing air pollution, the group said.

"We are writing to present you with some additional issues to urgently include them as part of the measures to contain pollution, as per your directions to DPCC dated October 27. This is in order to help Delhi breathe," the letter said.