Shillong, November 5: In response to the ‘severe’ air quality conditions in the national capital, the Delhi government has extended the closure of all primary schools until November 10.
As per India Today, Delhi Education Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi announced this decision on Sunday via social media. For students in Grade 6-12, the option of online classes is being provided.
Earlier, the Delhi government had already ordered the closure of both government and private primary schools until November 2. The worsening pollution levels prompted this move, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announcing the temporary shutdown of schools.
In addition, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has instructed teachers of Nursery to V classes to conduct online sessions as offline classes are discontinued for November 3 and 4.
Delhi’s air quality remains in the ‘severe’ category, with an overall air quality index (AQI) of 460 recorded on Sunday morning. The situation is no better in neighboring cities like Noida and Gurugram, both part of the National Capital Region (NCR), which have also experienced ‘severe’ AQI levels.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai emphasized the need to restrict construction activities, curb vehicle emissions, manage waste, and control biomass burning. He urged the public to use public transport and called for the strict implementation of pollution control measures, including in the NCR region.
To combat the hazardous air quality, the Centre has implemented Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which includes restrictions on construction, mining, and vehicle usage. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has introduced various measures, such as using Mechanical Road Sweepers, anti-smog guns, and water sprinkling on trees and shrubs along main roads to mitigate the pollution crisis.