National Desk, 5th November: The Delhi government has ordered the closure of all primary schools in the national capital until November 10 due to ‘severe’ air quality. Delhi Education Minister Atishi announced this on social media, adding that for students in grades 6-12, schools are given the option of shifting to online classes.
The Delhi government had earlier ordered the closure of all government and private primary schools until November 2 due to worsening pollution levels. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the temporary closure of schools as air quality deteriorated.
Delhi’s air quality has remained in the ‘severe’ category, with an overall air quality index (AQI) of 460 recorded at 7 am on Sunday. The city’s average AQI settled at 415 on Saturday.
The Centre has implemented Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb pollution, including restrictions on construction work, mining, and certain vehicles. Local measures like using mechanical road sweepers, anti-smog guns, and water tankers have been put in place to combat air pollution in the city.