New Delhi, Nov 20: Delhi faced yet another day of hazardous air quality on Wednesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 426 in the “severe” category, following the coldest night of the season so far.

The minimum temperature plunged to 11.1°C on Tuesday night, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Dense fog coupled with the temperature drop blanketed the city, reducing visibility to 500 meters as of 8:30 am. The IMD predicts that the dense fog is likely to persist throughout the day. Morning humidity levels were recorded at 84%, with the maximum temperature expected to reach 25°C.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported an AQI of 426 at 9 am, indicating severe pollution levels that pose health risks to healthy individuals and are particularly hazardous for those with pre-existing conditions. Among the 38 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi, all but one were in the “severe” category. The Lodhi Road station, however, reported “very poor” air quality.

Delhi’s air quality had first breached the “severe plus” category on Sunday, prompting authorities to activate Stage IV measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Monday morning. These emergency steps include a complete ban on construction and demolition activities and the suspension of physical classes in schools.

Additional restrictions were imposed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), including a prohibition on four-wheeler diesel light motor vehicles (LMVs) in Delhi and its surrounding NCR districts, except for BS-VI compliant vehicles and those engaged in essential or emergency services. Diesel-powered medium and heavy goods vehicles have also been barred from entering Delhi, except those transporting essential goods. Only electric and CNG trucks are permitted, with exceptions made for essential services.

Implemented since 2017, GRAP categorizes air quality into four stages of severity: Stage 1 – “poor” (AQI 201-300), Stage 2 – “very poor” (AQI 301-400), Stage 3 – “severe” (AQI 401-450), and Stage 4 – “severe plus” (AQI above 450).

As the capital struggles with plummeting temperatures and persistent pollution, public health remains a pressing concern.

New Delhi, Nov 19 – Nearly 182 million children aged three to four in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are missing out on adequate nurturing care, putting their healthy development at risk, according to a new paper published in The Lancet journal.

The study highlights how emerging environmental threats, such as air pollution, climate change, and chemical exposure, are further compromising child development. Researchers from the Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC), New Delhi, contributed to the study, which builds on the concept of the “first 1,000 days” of life, from conception to two years old, and emphasizes the importance of the “next 1,000 days” (ages two to five) in fostering early childhood growth.

This critical window of development often goes unaddressed, as fewer than one in three children in LMICs aged three or four participate in early childhood care and education (ECCE) programs. The study urges greater investment in this stage of childhood development, particularly by improving access to high-quality ECCE services. These programs, the researchers argue, should focus on providing trained teachers, child-centered play, and responsive, stimulating classroom environments.

Aditi Roy, Senior Research Scientist at CCDC, told PTI that India’s major concern is ensuring equitable access to quality ECCE. She emphasized the need for a holistic, activity-based curriculum that aligns with the National Education Policy’s recommendations, as opposed to traditional rote learning.

Data on ECCE attendance in India remains inconsistent. The 2022 government report showed that 28.58 million children aged 3-6 were enrolled in early childhood education through the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). However, private pre-schools, which are on the rise, often lack regulation and may have questionable quality.

Roy further noted that the National Family Household Survey (NFHS-5) data from the 2019-2020 school year may not accurately reflect the current situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the ongoing NFHS-6 survey may provide more recent insights.

According to the study, providing one year of ECCE for all children in LMICs would cost less than 0.15% of their GDP, while the benefits could be 8-19 times the cost. Catherine Draper, Co-chair of the series from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, said that while LMICs have been underrepresented in early childhood research, the study stresses the urgent need to provide these children with the care they need to thrive.

The authors also underscore that ECCE programs offer more than just education: they include growth monitoring, food assistance, nutrition supplements, and caregiver support—critical elements for fostering healthy development. Furthermore, air pollution and climate change are identified as growing threats. Air pollution directly affects children’s physical development and disrupts education, while extreme weather events caused by climate change, such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, undermine food security and economic stability, all of which harm child development.

Roy pointed out that while the impact of climate change on early childhood education is not yet being addressed in policy discussions, it is essential to integrate ECCE into climate action plans to safeguard future development.