'Everybody Breathed Lead-Filled Toxic Air': Delhi's Air Quality Reminds US Envoy Of Los Angeles. Here's Why

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has said that the pollution in Delhi reminded him of the pollution in Los Angeles, California, before measures were taken to control it.

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said Los Angeles back in 2001 was predominantly run on coal.

Source : PTI

The United States Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, while addressing an event, commented on the pollution in Delhi and said that it reminded him of Los Angeles. He said that on such days, as a child, he was advised by his schoolteachers not to play outside just like his daughter was on Thursday when he dropped her off. Garcetti was speaking at The Energy Transition Dialogues organised by the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) in the national capital.

"On a day like this in Delhi, it brings back memories of growing up in Los Angeles where the air was the most polluted air anywhere in America. Where like today, we were given warnings by our teachers that you cannot go outside to play, just as my daughter was given by her teacher today as I dropped her off to school."

#WATCH | On air pollution in Delhi, US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti says, "On a day like this in Delhi, it brings back memories of growing up in Los Angeles where the air was the most polluted air anywhere in America. Where like today, we were given warnings by our teachers… pic.twitter.com/9ijgH8we0h

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2023

He said that back in 2001, Los Angeles predominantly ran on coal "just like Delhi". He further mentioned how his family suffered from cancer and since his house was near the highway, everybody breathed that "lead-filled toxic air".

Delhi-NCR, for almost a week, has been reeling under air pollution as the situation showed no improvement. On Thursday morning, Delhi stood in the 'very poor' category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 351.

Despite anti-pollution measures in the "winter plan" announced by the Delhi government, the situation is yet to see an improvement. Earlier, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the city government is implementing various measures to reduce the impact of pollution in the national capital.

Rai said that the government has stopped the entry of diesel buses into Delhi from today and also urged the state government to ply only CNG, Electric, or BS-VI buses from their depots to reduce the effect of increased pollution in the national capital. Rai said that if Air Quality Index (AQI) goes above 400 in the hotspots and continues to be so for a week, all construction work within a one-kilometre radius of the area would be directed to be stopped.

The capital's air quality continues to slip deeper into the 'very poor' category primarily due to a dip in temperature and low wind speed.