NEW DELHI: Primary schools in Delhi will remain closed until November 10 due to the city’s deteriorating air quality, according to Education Minister Atishi on Sunday. The Minister of Education also disclosed that classes 6–12 might go to online learning. “Primary schools in Delhi will remain closed until November 10th due to the persistently high levels of pollution. Schools have the option of switching to online instruction for grades 6 through 12, according to a post by Atishi on X. Following a dip in pollution readings into the “Severe” category earlier on Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a break for all public and private primary schools in the nation’s capital.According to the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India), Delhi’s air quality stayed in the “Severe” category on Sunday for the fourth day in a row, despite a slight decrease in the overall Air Quality Index (AQI), which was recorded at 410 on Sunday as opposed to 504 on Saturday. SAFAR-India data indicates that the Delhi University region has 456 (Severe) air quality, whereas the Lodhi Road neighbourhood has 385 (Very Poor) air quality. Similar circumstances were observed in Noida, where SAFAR-India reports that the air quality fell to the “severe” category with an AQI of 466. Gurugram maintained its ‘Very Poor’ classification for air quality with an AQI of 392. Doctors advise that a healthy person’s AQI should be less than 50, but these days, it has risen to 400, which can be lethal for individuals with lung-related conditions and even increase the chance of lung cancer. In a letter, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai asked Union Minister Bhupender Yadav to forbid cars from adjacent states in the Delhi-NCR from entering Delhi that do not comply with BS-VI standards. Additionally, he asked the environment ministers of the bordering governments to convene in an emergency. The Chief Secretaries of the impacted states have also been asked to respond by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which has instructed them to take prompt corrective action and present a report on their actions to the tribunal. In a statement, NGT stated that in order to guarantee improved air quality for the locals, prompt action is needed for the prevention and control of air pollution in these cities.
