Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced that all government and private primary schools in the capital will remain closed for the next two days due to rising air pollution levels.
All schools have been instructed to conduct classes in online mode on November 3 and 4. The Delhi government has also imposed a ban on all non-essential construction work in Delhi-NCR and restricted the entry of diesel trucks to address air pollution.
These measures are part of stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) under the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
The CAQM expressed concerns during a meeting about escalating pollution levels in Delhi-NCR in the coming days, attributed to unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions. The smoky haze in Delhi has intensified, obscuring the city’s skyline and sun. The decline in air quality is attributed to increased agricultural fires and adverse weather conditions, leading doctors to caution about exacerbated respiratory problems.
Scientists have warned of a potential surge in pollution levels in Delhi-NCR over the next two weeks. Many areas in Delhi have already exceeded the 400-mark on the Air Quality Index (AQI), entering the ‘severe’ category.
