80% Delhi-NCR households have one or more individuals struggling due to toxic air: Survey
New Delhi (PTI):Eight in 10 Delhi-NCR households have one or more individuals who faced difficulty with toxic air in the last four weeks, while four in 10 households had four or more individuals falling sick due to it, according to a survey by LocalCircles.
The survey asked residents on Delhi NCR, "How many members of your household (including kids) in Delhi NCR have struggled with toxic air or pollution in the last four weeks?"
Out of 18,253 Delhi NCR residents who responded to the question, 36 per cent said four or more individuals in their household have been affected by the toxic air in the last four weeks.
At least 21 one per cent indicated two to three members in their household were affected, while the same percentage of respondents indicated one individual was facing pollution-related issues.
The survey received over 53,000 responses from residents of Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad.
Of the total, 61 per cent respondents were men, while 39 per cent respondents were women.
LocalCircles is a digital community-based platform.
A blanket of smog has persisted over the city since Diwali, with air quality oscillating between the "poor" and "very poor" categories, and occasionally slipping into the "severe" zone.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
