Toxic air: Primary schools shut till Nov 10
New Delhi: All primary schools in the national capital will remain shut till November 10 in view of rising pollution levels in the city, Delhi Education Minister Atishi announced on Sunday. For classes 6 to 12, schools have the option of teaching online. “As pollution levels continue to remain high, primary schools in Delhi will stay closed till November 10. For Grade 6-12, schools are being given the option of shifting to online classes,” Atishi said on X.
A toxic haze lingered over Delhi for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday as pollution levels once again reached the severe plus category due to unfavourable wind conditions, particularly calm winds during the night. The air quality index deteriorated from 415 at 4 pm on Saturday to 460 at 7 am on Sunday.
Earlier, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that all government and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed on November 3 and November 4, in view of rising pollution levels. Under the Centre's air pollution control plan, all emergency measures, including a ban on polluting trucks, commercial four-wheelers, and all types of construction, are mandated to be initiated and enforced in the National Capital Region if the AQI crosses the 450-mark.
The Centre on Sunday ordered a ban on construction work related to linear public projects in Delhi-NCR and the entry of polluting trucks and commercial four-wheelers into the capital as an air quality crisis gripped the region.
These measures constitute the final stage, Stage IV, of the Centre's air pollution control plan, which is activated at least three days before the Air Quality Index surpasses the 450 mark in the capital. However, proactive implementation could not happen this time. The CAQM, a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, asked Delhi and NCR states to implement all emergency measures, which also include work-from-home directives for 50 per cent of staff in government and private offices.