Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced today that the odd-even rule will return to Delhi the day after Diwali and that the school closures have been extended to Class 11 due to the increasing pollution levels.
The minister announced that all schools in the nation’s capital would be closed until November 10th, with the exception of Classes 10 and 12. Due to the worsening air quality, only classes up to Class 5 are currently suspended.
On November 13, the day after Diwali, the odd-even rule—which has been the Arvind Kejriwal government’s main initiative in combating pollution for the past few years—will return for a week.
According to this rule, only vehicles whose registration numbers end in an odd digit are permitted on Delhi roads on odd-number days, and only vehicles whose registration numbers end in an even digit are permitted on even-number days.
The minister stated that the necessity to extend the odd-even rule past November 20 will be examined at a later time.
For almost a week now, Delhi has been covered in a thick layer of poisonous smog, and the quality of the air is getting worse to the point where it is becoming dangerous for young people and the elderly to breathe.
This morning’s overall air quality index (AQI) reading of 488 was significantly higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended safe threshold. RK Puram (466), ITO (402), Patparganj (471), and New Moti Bagh (488) were among the most severely hit areas.