Delhi schools closed until further notice as air pollution worsens
KATHMANDU, Dec 2: All schools in New Delhi will remain closed from Friday until further notice amid worsening levels of air pollution in India's national capital.
Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday that primary schools in the Indian capital region will be closed in the wake of increasing levels of air pollution. The schools would be closed from Saturday.
NEW DELHI: Schools in Delhi are to be closed from today till further orders, due to current air pollution levels in the city, India Today has reported.
India has temporarily shut down five coal-fired power plants around the capital New Delhi as part of its drive to combat air pollution, according to an order from the federal environment ministry panel on air pollution.
The city’s air quality index fell into the “very poor” category on Sunday, according to SAFAR, India’s main environmental monitoring agency, and in many areas levels of the deadly particulate matter reached around six times the global safety threshold.
NEW DELHI, Nov. 14: All schools will be shut in the Indian capital New Delhi for a week in the wake of current "Severe" levels of air pollution, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday.
The schools will remain closed with effect from Monday, he told reporters following an emergency meeting with top officials, adding that government officials will be working from home for a week, and private offices were also advised to follow suit.
The chief minister said his government was working on a proposal for lockdown in New Delhi. "(I) Will present the plan to the Supreme Court," Kejriwal said.
Construction activities will be prohibited in the capital city on Nov. 14-17, the chief minister said.
According to him, the pollution level was rising in New Delhi "due to stubble burning in neighboring states" and called upon all stakeholders to work together to combat it.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Friday advised government and private offices in New Delhi to cut down their vehicular usage by at least 30 percent. The CPCB issued an advisory urging people to limit their outdoor activities and minimize their exposure to the air in the city.
New Delhi recorded its worst air quality index (AQI) level this season on Friday with a 24-hour average of 471, according to media reports.
The AQI in the capital remained in the "Severe" category on Saturday morning, with the AQI being recorded at 473.
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