15,000 masks for CISF jawans, 50,000 for traffic cops: Delhi goes behind the mask

On Tuesday, Delhi woke up to a thick smog, bringing back memories of last November. Later in the day, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) declared a public health emergency, and Delhiites rushed to buy

masks

.

Manufacturers estimate that NCR bought 10,000-12,000 masks on Tuesday (BCCL/ Ajay Kumar Gautam)

Store managers across the capital tell us that masks flew off the shelves on Tuesday and many shops exhausted their stock by afternoon as demand outweighed the supply. Many Delhiites had to visit multiple markets or return empty handed as the city exhausted its supply of masks. Big orders were also placed by several embassies. More than 15,000 masks were distributed on Tuesday among the CISF personnel posted at the IGI airport, Metro stations, at Rashtrapati Bhawan, and other locations in the city. The Delhi Police also ordered 50,000 masks.

Manufacturers estimate that the entire NCR must have bought around 10,000-12,000 masks just on Tuesday.

15,000 masks were distributed among CISF officials posted in the city

Keep calm and wear a mask: CISFSoon after the IMA disclosed the air pollution level, OP Singh, DG, CISF, placed an order of 15,000 masks. As a CISF official told us, "We got over 2,000 masks immediately once the order was placed on Tuesday. And rest of the masks were sent later in the day."

A CISF official on duty at Rajiv Chowk said, "It seems that masks have now become part of our uniform. Some people even told us 'aap ko dekh kar ab lag raha hai ki mask toh khareedna hi parega'." A senior CISF official at the New Delhi Metro station added, “People are used to seeing traffic cops wearing masks but not us. The tourists are surprised that air quality has become so bad. They keep asking us questions about air quality and I am telling everyone, 'keep calm and wear a mask'."

(BCCL/ Samik Sen)

Mask is now a part of our uniform: Delhi PoliceAfter the air quality took a drastic turn last year, the Delhi Police decided to make pollution masks mandatory for traffic cops. A constable at DND told us, "The mask is now the latest addition to our uniform. Do saal pehle tak toh mask pehan kar duty karna mazak lagta tha, ab to majboori hai. Duty karna hai toh mask toh pehenna hi parega."

A Parakram commando wearing a mask in Khan Market

Deepak Dhar Gupta

, who has mask stores in

Cyber Hub

in Gurgaon, Khan Market and in Sector 18 in Noida, said that in matter of just few hours, people of NCR bought masks worth over Rs10 lakh from his three shops. He said, "A few days back, the Delhi Police has placed an order of 50,000 masks with us and those masks will be distributed among their traffic personnel.Other departments and embassy officials are following suit."

CISF officials, guarding the Finance Ministry in Delhi, wear masks to protect themselves from the smog (BCCL/ Samik Sen)

Shops run out of stock When we visited the different mask stores of the capital, shopkeepers told us that the demand for mask has been unprecedented. Rishabh Thakur, a salesperson at a mask shop in Khan Market, said, "When I opened my store in the morning, there was already a long queue in front of the shop with people waiting to buy masks. Soon we ran out of stock and we already have advance orders."

PK Sharma, who works in a chemist shop in Defence Colony, said, "We have masks in three-four varieties, but people are asking so many technical questions – which elements can this mask filter, which toxic elements will remain unfiltered... now, we are not trained and do not know so much about the masks. We were unprepared to deal with this situation.I think masks will remain in demand now, so we will have to train our staff."

Mask shops in the city were not prepared for the surge in demand and soon ran out of stock on Tuesday (BCCL/ Samik Sen)

(BCCL/ Samik Sen)

The Delhi government has brought back odd-even plan to check rising pollution level in the capital. It will be implemented from Nov 13 and will end on Nov 17.

NGT has also banned construction and industrial activities in Delhi-NCR till November 14.