Delhi Government Extends School Closures Due To Alarming Air Pollution Levels

Due to the escalating levels of air pollution in the nation's capital, the Delhi government has decided to prolong the closure of all schools up to class 5 until November 10. As for schools catering to students from classes 6 to 12, they are not mandated to close but have the option to conduct online classes if they prefer. Initially, the Delhi government had announced that schools up to class 5 would remain shut until November 5. However, the deteriorating air quality in the city has necessitated an extension of this closure.

In a statement, Delhi's Education Minister Atishi stated, "As pollution levels continue to remain high, primary schools in Delhi will stay closed till the 10th of November. For students in grades 6-12, the option to switch to online classes is being provided."

On Sunday morning, Delhi's air quality remained alarmingly polluted, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 460. The city has been shrouded in a choking smog of toxic air for the sixth consecutive day, raising concerns among medical professionals about the increasing number of respiratory and eye issues affecting children and the elderly.

The levels of microscopic PM2.5 particles, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and pose health risks, have soared to seven to eight times the government's safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic meter in various locations across Delhi-NCR over the past few days. This level was 80 to 100 times higher than the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is 5 micrograms per cubic meter.

As part of the central government's plan to combat pollution in Delhi-NCR, it is mandatory to implement immediate air pollution control measures, such as banning polluting trucks, commercial four-wheelers, and all construction activities, if the AQI exceeds 450.

The air quality in Delhi-NCR deteriorated over the past week due to a combination of factors, including dropping temperatures, stagnant winds that hindered the dispersion of pollution, and an increase in the burning of post-harvest paddy stubble in Punjab and Haryana.

The AQI in Delhi skyrocketed by more than 200 points between October 27 and November 3, reaching the "severe plus" category (above 450) on Friday, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). While there was a slight improvement from 468 at 4 pm on Friday to 413 at 6 am on Saturday, the 24-hour average AQI of 468 on Friday was the worst since November 12, 2021.

A report from the University of Chicago highlights that Delhi's air quality ranks among the worst in the world, and it significantly reduces life expectancy, by almost 12 years, due to air pollution.