With no respite from hazardous atmospheric pollution in the city in the wake of air quality remaining in the ‘severe’ category in Delhi, Education Minister Atishi announced here on Sunday that all primary schools in the city would remain closed till November 10.
In a post on X, Atishi said, “As pollution levels continue to remain high, primary schools in Delhi will stay closed till 10th November.”
“For Grade 6-12, schools are being given the option of shifting to online mode,” she added.
Earlier on November 2, after the pollution levels in the city plunged to the ‘severe’ category, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the government and private schools in the national capital would remain closed for two days (till November 4).
The air quality in Delhi remained in the ‘severe’ category for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday, though with a marginal dip in the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 410 against 504 on Saturday, as per the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India).
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”; 51 and 100 “satisfactory”; 101 and 200 “moderate”; 201 and 300 “poor”; 301 and 400 “very poor”; and 401 and 500 “severe”.
According to the data issued by SAFAR-India, the air quality in the Lodhi Road area was recorded at 385 (very poor) while the Delhi University area stands at 456 (severe).
In Noida, air quality plunged to the ‘severe’ category with AQI at 466, as per SAFAR-India. Gurugram recorded an AQI of 392, keeping the air quality under the ‘very poor’ category.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has written to Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, requesting him to ban the entry of vehicles non-compliant with BS-VI norms into Delhi from neighbouring states in Delhi-NCR.
He also requested an emergency meeting of neighbouring states’ environment ministers.
Also, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought responses from the Chief Secretaries of the affected states and directed them to take immediate remedial action and submit the action taken report before the Tribunal.
The NGT, in a statement, said that immediate action is required for the prevention and control of air pollution in these cities so as to ensure better air quality for the residents.
As the air quality in the national capital fell into the “severe” category, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Thursday issued directions to immediately ban construction activities in the entire National Capital Region (NCR) except for essential government projects.
The CAQM also urged the state governments in the NCR and GNCTD to contemplate discontinuing physical classes in schools for children up to Class V and conducting classes in an online mode.
The CAQM has invoked the third stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as air quality deteriorated in the city. It involved a complete halt on construction and demolition work except for essential government projects, mining and stone crushing; imposing strict restrictions on plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel LMVs (4 wheelers) in Delhi and in the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar.