We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
INDIA OFFICIALLY HAS the filthiest air on the planet, and Delhi is its capital of smog.
As part of a trip to charity projects in Mumbai and Dewas, I decided to check it out for myself. Twice.
Despite temperatures that would have justified the term Indian Summer in Ireland, you couldn’t see the sun for days on end.
The pollution in Delhi was so bad you could taste and smell it – like a massive smoking room. It got so bad that the authorities closed schools for three days, banned all construction work for five days and temporarily closed power plants.
India’s capital is not one city, but seven cities built on top of each other.
The latest layer – New Delhi – was built between 1911 and 1931 by the British, who inaugurated it as the new capital of an eastern empire that stretched from the edge of Iran to the straits of Singapore.
The former Viceroy’s Palace is its architectural pinnacle.
I’d like to tell you what it looked like, but I couldn’t see it. In fact, viewing anything much farther away than 10 or 20 feet was hugely problematic.
Hazardous
During our stay in the city, the recorded levels of PM 2.5, a type of fine particle pollution, soared to 1,000 – more than 16 times the limit considered safe by India’s government.
Anything above 500 is considered “hazardous”. For context, Dublin’s air quality index this week was 19 – considered “good” – while the highest in London was 45.
Experts say the damage from sustained exposure to such high concentrations of PM 2.5 as found in Delhi is the equivalent to smoking more than two packs of cigarettes a day
Little wonder that Delhi’s chief minister has termed the city a “gas chamber” and hospitals recorded a large-scale outbreak of respiratory illnesses.
The pollution is so bad that many Indians – and slack-jawed western tourists – have begun taking smog selfies.
No money
A political decision managed to worsen the situation. During the nadir of the smog crisis, the federal government – led by right-wing Hindu nationalist BJP – decided to invalidate 85% of its banknotes in a bid to clamp down on tax evasion.
In a country blighted by a caste system presaged on the prehistoric notion that lower castes and Dalit (or Untouchable) people must remain poor to burn up their “karma”, the cancellation of swathes of legal currency hit the poorest hardest.
Comments by the prime minister suggested that may have been the point all along.
“Inflation becomes worse through the deployment of cash earned in corrupt ways,” prime minister Narendra Modi said. “The poor have to bear the brunt of this.”
The controversial move involved shutting down all ATMs for days on end, leaving tourists unable to withdraw currency to pay for cabs, food and other essentials.
Shrouded
At the shrouded airport, waiting for a flight south, several locals said they were looking forward to the clean air of their destination – Mumbai, India’s commercial centre. (It’s a bit like saying you’re flying to London for a bit of peace and quiet.)
Most were, however reluctant to openly criticise central government policy. One man I spoke to, an IT worker used to travelling to Europe and the US, literally looked over his shoulder.
Once persuaded I wasn’t going to shop him to the BJP, Sanjay* said that Narendra Modi’s administration seemed keen to push conservative Hindu policies upon India’s population, a population which includes 170 million Muslims, around 30 million Christians, 9 million Buddhists, and 52 million Sikhs, Jains and Zoroastrians.
Mass killings
Prior to coming to power, Modi was an international pariah for a decade due to his alleged role in mass killings of Muslims during his time as a regional minister.
His opponents in Delhi say he has been slow to act on the smog crisis, due to a power struggle with Delhi’s chief minister, Arvind Jeriwal of the rival Aam Aadmi Party.
But the currency crisis isn’t just being felt in Delhi.
Landing in Mumbai Delhi, I needed to transfer between the domestic and international airports, but couldn’t get a taxi as I couldn’t access cash due to the ATM shutdown.
I ended up booking into a cheap hotel, which then sent a taxi to transfer me between the airports. The hotel was then able to charge me for the cab through the hotel booking. It was expensive, but unlike many Indians hit by a double whammy of smog and demonetisation, I had enough to eat.
Smog problems
Despite spending billions on a huge army, nuclear weapons, and a space programme, India’s far-right BJP government presides over a population that remains one of the poorest in the world.
Hamstrung by a stubbornly resilient caste system, some 80% of its population are in the lower half of the global wealth distribution – a higher proportion than in Africa.
About half the population defecates in the streets daily. With winter approaching and very little fuel available, the country’s multitudinous poor resort to burning whatever they have to hand, including plastic.
Out in the countryside, meanwhile, rice farmers in the nearby states of Punjab and Haryana burn leftover straw every November, sending smoke over Delhi.
Images from Nasa show the extent of the fires, which are swept towards the capital by prevailing winds. The problem contributes to 70% of the peak smog problem.
Diwali
And then there’s Diwali. The Hindu festival is India’s version of Christmas – replete with red-and-white ads.
Commemorating the abduction of the god Rama’s wife, her rescue, and Rama’s questioning of her ‘honour’ on the way home, the festival is celebrated by widespread fireworks.
Visiting Delhi on the weekend of Diwali felt like the end of the world, as four times the population of Ireland began exploding fireworks that sound like munitions in the sky, then all took to the roads to escape the pollution. Dublin has never seemed so clean.
The government responded by banning firecrackers for weddings – but not for religious festivals.
Delhi’s chief minister appealed to his rival Modi to intervene with other state governments to help. A ban on crop burning is rarely enforced, and court judgments ordering ageing vehicles off Delhi’s roads are also routinely flouted.
China
Within India, the country’s widespread problems are routinely compared to those in China, which was recently overtaken by India for the number of premature deaths related to air pollution.
India has a 62.4 concentration of levels of the poisonous PM2.5 particle, compared to 54.3 in China, according to the World Health Organisation’s ambient air statistics.
China’s Communist Party has managed to stem the tide of pollution by ordering factory shutdowns and cars off the road with ad hoc edicts.
“We have repeatedly failed to implement the laws in India,” Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist at private weather forecaster Skymet, told AFP recently.
China is using technology and strict implementation because the authorities recognise air pollution as a health emergency and are doing everything to control it.
“But here in India, there is no political will and laws are never implemented on ground, mostly because no one takes pollution seriously.”
Fallout
Although the wind has picked up in the past few days – bringing Delhi’s pollution back to merely atrocious – the fallout from the smog and currency crisis continues, with protests across several cities this week.
Meanwhile, the millions of Indians still living in grinding poverty in a growing economy look in envy at China’s progress in modernising its society, untrammeled by the stigma of inhuman superstition.
*Names have been changed
With reporting from AFP. - © AFP, 2016
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
My little one is 5 and can’t wait for it.
The singing and dancing is what makes it cool for her!
You have to compliment RTE on this regardless of how crap they are the the rest of the year!
@Keith Ryan: I can’t watch it with Tubridy doing it. Even Pat Kenny was better.
I have to disagree with you there, I think Tubridy is doing a great job as the Toy show host.
@John Jobs: anyone one, would compared to pat lol .
@Seán Domhnall O’Sullivan: ^ would
I will indeed. Watching it with my neice. Can’t understand why rte don’t change their schedule so the toy show can air earlier. It’s on too late for children. Time needs to change.
I agree on the time..
Only late late show of the year I would turn on and watch. But come on rte change the time. It’s a toy show for kids and your showing it at time for adults.
It’s repeated Sunday afternoon.
@(((Jason))): agree it’s repeated but children are excited to watch it on the night. Which is understandable.
Surely you have a recording device connected to the television. Use that.
: : Jesus Toddy and Jason. Didn’t know it would upset so many people for questioning the time rte show the toy show for children. Don’t think either of you get the concept that the children like to watch it on the night. They enjoy it . Well aware of recording and repeats. But what’s the big deal in saying it’s on too late for children.
Part of the fun is staying up late to watch it
LITTLEONE stop acting like a brat. People offered you alternatives and you throw your toys out of your pram. Grow up.
Seeaming
Little one was just looking for a reason to slag off RTÉ and it backfired.
Can’t speak for anybody else, but for my kids, staying up late is half the fun. I remember feeling the same when I was a kid. The fact they all be asleep by 10:30 doesn’t matter. They think they will be staying up til midnight and that gets them excited.
Sky plus it and watch the following evening
Wow. The buddies are out in force . Way to go boys . Stick together. Keep being so insulting because I mentioned something like the toy show and time for kids. Wow it’s really worked ye up. Getting all hot and bothered over toy show and time. It’s probably because an earlier time wouldn’t suit ye . You wouldn’t be home from your kids club. Talking about throwing your dummies out. Get a life boys
@LITTLEONE:
HOW I hated the Billy Barry kids there were the most pretentious little s**ts. Will still probably tune in for some length of time.
@ktsiwot: ya the kids love it . Music and dancing. Looking at the toys . Great show for the kids to watch. Start of Christmas season. . Just don’t mention time . Few above very sensitive to even mention time and toy show.
Staying awake for the whole show was the holy grail as a kid! I never managed it!
@Deborah Behan: agree but kids are so excited to watch it on the night. They love it . Honestly don’t know why people got all hot and bothered because I said it’s on bit late and put it on bit earlier so the children can watch it without falling asleep. Wow little did I know that would have upset a few above. Imagine saying a little bit earlier for the children to be able to watch was such an awful thing to day
Say.
Brat
Haha screaming Toddy are you 2? Grow up get a life . Good boy.
“Littleone, you talk sh*te”
Is anyone surprised?
Wonderful retort LITTLEONE. You must have gotten help from a GROWNUP with that one
David. Another little one throwing his dummy out. Are ye all in the same room . Certainly sounds like it . Talk about acting like children. Give yourselves a pat on the back for your informative contribution to the article. Oh that’s right you didn’t. You just decided to comment and act all big and mighty behind your keyboards. Good for you all. Keep up the good fight . #actinglikechildren..
Sounds like some of you could do with your afternoon nap . Your getting all cranky. Don’t want you falling asleep during the toyshow.
Ah it’s hilarious watching some fool going in and out and giving me red thumbs. Someone obviously has a problem. Keep pressing that red thumb, your doing a stellar job. Keep up the work. It’s comical knowing that your actually that vested in it. Haha.
You may be right about the red thumb thing. But that wouldn’t explain the lack of green thumbs supporting you.
@ManOnTheStreet: if you look at my first comments you will see the green thumbs are higher than the red . It’s only the ones that annoyed the boys about the times and then their childish comments like calling someone a brat . My responses got red thumbed. They are pathetic to be honest I am not surprised. I am laughing at them.
I agree, I always fell asleep for it as a kid. Yes, it was recorded and repeated but it still sucked not being able to watch it all live.
Yeah, tbf, they jumped all over you for having a very reasonable opinion. I don’t think it should be on earlier, but don’t see anything wrong with some people preferring an earlier showing. But still don’t think there is a red thumb conspiracy either. Lol.
Ignore green/red thumbs.
Jammin showed a long time ago you can manipulate thumbs. Something to do with cookies – don’t remember the details.
@ManOnTheStreet: yet somehow my comment below yours got more red thumbs than you did green. Sure no conspiracy there. It’s blatant obvious. Honestly don’t know why they are so upset and acting they way they are just for saying. Put toyshow on bit earlier so kids can watch it without falling asleep before it’s over. Unbelievable how ridiculous some people are.
It’s the “late late” toy show not the “early evening because children nowadays aren’t allowed to stay up past 11″ toy show. It’s all a bit of craic staying up late anyways
What are you like? It’s called the Late Late show, did you never notice that?
You’d get more information in the Argos catalogue
Back in my day it was the Family Album catalogue…at least it had the lingerie pages for the lads.
You missed out on the littlewoods catalogue so
It’s just that Tubridy is a bit of a pryck. He looks like a solicitor in a Christmas jumper and talks that bell end in school who always had the answer in the book.
@Killian O’Hara:
@Killian O’Hara:he is no entertainer has no business being on the box. Why have it at 930, my kids will be in bed.
Don’t put them to bed so early. Break the rules every now and then.
I’d rather superglue my eyes open and dip my face into a bucket of lemon juice than watch that shytehawk pretending to give the slightest of fluchs about what little Lorcan from Foxrock thinks of his ‘lil lawyer play set with genuine notary stamp
Don’t watch RTE …. I prefer unbiased stations
So click “no interest/opinion” and keep it moving.
Good man Eamonn. Thanks for letting us all know. What are the unbiased stations?
@Screaming Toddy: I suspect “unbiased” may be code for “people who tell me what I have already predetermined is the truth”.
Yeah, couldn’t have tubs brainwashing our kids with his biased views. Jaysus, chill out will ya. It’s a show about toys and a bit of a song and dance.
Didnt they have this same survey a week or two ago?
No wonder we’re such a failed corrupt country, when adults get more excited about a children’s TV programme than they do about things like NAMA or Garda corruption.
Does nama and garda corruption excite you?
Heaven forbid that people can’t enjoy themselves at home. You’re some misery Eamon.
Defo want you at my next birthday party Eamon
Always that one clown that thinks he is so enlightened and better than all the other sheep. The kinda person that people hate seeing coming. Minus craic.
@Eamon Mac Gowan: Hmmm I attended some of the water protests and pay close attention to the politics of the country. Does this mean I shouldn’t watch, or dare i say it, enjoy the Toy Show from an ideological standpoint?
@ManOnTheStreet: *crack
Can’t stand it but hate that skinny w$nker more.
Watch Tubridy patronise children in a poor attempt to entertain? Hmm no thanks.
This is just glorified product placement dressed up with a few dancing and singing kids !
@Mrs M: Duff Beer for me. Duff Beer for you. I’ll have a Duff, you have one too.
Will record it for the kids. Not wasting the Friday night on Turdbridy..
Just watch how Tubrity treats the kids. He’s just terrible.
Not just watching it, will be attending it!!!!!!!!! Extremely excited to get the call on Wednesday that we got tickets, 3rd time lucky
I think it terrible it puts undue pressure on parents to buy the toys there kids see..
@OCallaghan TP: then don’t show the kids the toy show
NO.
Why would I want to spend my evening watching annoting middle class Dublin 4 kids perpetuating class division by spending money on expensive presents while kids from lower socio economic groups look on in envy?
DISGUSTING abuse of the license fee money.
we put the tree up while watching it.
FFS !
We sit at home with a sour grin whilst everyone in the audience gets rewarded things we wouldn’t mind. Waiting patiently for the next awkward.
I’m recording it. I’m too invested in I’m a celebrity to miss it. I’ll watch it tomorrow.
@Peter Cavey: I hope that’s a joke… I know people for miles and not one of them has time for that garbage.
It’s my guilty pleasure
Loads of BAH HUMBUG red thumbs on this one. Merry Christmas to you all……
Saw a little pre-Toy show programme last night where judges and Tubs went to Cork, Galway and Dundalk. It was just like watching X-Factor, but I’m not talking about the way they were judging or choosing the kids. I’m talking about the way it was all about Tubs. The camera seemed to be more on and about him than the children. Puke television.
I’ll be working :)
Can’t believe Tubridy got to ride a Rose of Tralee. .
No it’s my Christmas party *sobs into pillow*.
@Deborah Behan: You are not the only one in that boat Debs
I might take a look after the rugby
It’s years since I watched it, used to love it as it was the one night of the year when we were allowed to stay up late. Tonight I’m watching with my Mum while we share a bottle of Chardonnay.
I’ll watch it with my kids, but I can already see the cringe it will be.
@niall: A big advert for children to ask Santa for toys Santa can’t afford…
…..You know I know it’s a nice tradition, but this really is just a taxpayer funded showreel of product placement.
No but I will watch the Late Late Sex Toy show instead ;)
The Late Late Toy Show.
Ryan Tubs kids.
This years musts, a nodding dog with Hillary Clintons head and a Donald Trump cusion that grabs your kitty if you sit on it ?
Will dee forbes?
To many Culchie brats on it on to late for jasus sake
Depends if mum lets me stay up.
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say