Two weeks ago, the Delhi government announced the odd-even formula to curb air pollution by restricting the number of private vehicles on the city's roads. Yesterday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted graphic pictures of healthy and unhealthy lungs in a bid to raise awareness about the city's critical air pollution levels.
In the tweet, the chief minister posted a picture of the lungs of a 55-year-old from the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and of a person of roughly the same age from Delhi.
These pics sent by Dr Trehan Left pic -Lung of a 55yr old from HP Right pic- Lung of a 52 yr old from Delhi pic.twitter.com/FstcFOocoQ
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 10, 2015
According to WHO, the Indian capital has the world's worst air quality. Delhi's air has high levels of hazardous particulate matter, especially PM2.5, which can enter the lungs. Prolonged exposure to this air can cause breathing problems, reduced lung function and cardiovascular diseases.
The government also plans to take steps such as shutting down the Badarpur thermal power station within the city, vacuum cleaning the city's roads, a plantation drive to curb dust and stopping the registration of new diesel vehicles in the city.