Delhi’s Education Minister Manish Sisodia today ordered all the schools in Delhi to remain closed till Sunday as a massive envelope of poisonous smog covered the national capital for the second straight day.
“The condition of air in Delhi is getting worse. We cannot compromise on children’s health in such a condition. I have asked all schools to remain closed till Sunday,” Sisodia tweeted in Hindi.
On Tuesday, the Delhi government had decided to shut classes for all students up to Grade V and banned outdoor activities or assemblies on Wednesday in all the city schools.
The government’s decision followed a tweet by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, in which he called the city a “gas chamber” and asked Sisodia to consider shutting the schools for a few days.
“Delhi has become a gas chamber. Every year this happens during this part of year. We have to find a solution to crop burning in adjoining states,” Kejriwal had tweeted.
Schools in Ghaziabad have also been shut down by district authorities for Wednesday and Thursday. In Noida, Faridabad, and Gurgaon, a number of schools have decided to remain shut due to the weather.
THICK FOG, TOXIC AIR OVER DELHI
Delhi and its adjoining suburbs were again blanketed in a grey haze this morning, dipping visibility to 300 meters at some places, causing train delays and slowing down flight operations.
The Delhi government has also issued a health advisory for high risk people, including children, the elderly, pregnant women and those suffering from asthma and heart ailments.
The average air quality index was 477 and the level of dangerous PM2.5 particles was “severe” at 475 microgrammes per cubic metre — about 19 times more than permissible globally. The permissible range for PM2.5 is 60 as per Indian standards and 25 globally.
The “severe” level has prompted an advisory from the Ministry of Earth Science, cautioning against outdoor activities.
“Give a miss to walk today. Stop any activity level if you experience any unusual coughing, chest discomfort, wheezing, breathing difficulty or fatigue and consult doctor. Masks known as N-95 or P-100 respirators may only help if you go out,” advised SAFAR-India, the ministry-run air quality and weather forecasting research centre.
According to data from the Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA), the air quality in Noida, Gurgaon and Faridabad (Haryana) was just as bad, with the presence of PM 2.5 NCR pegged at 445 till 10 a.m.
The level of PM2.5 in Noida Sector 125 was especially steep (525). In Faridabad Sector 16, it was 452 by 10 am. In Vikas Sadan at Gurgaon, the level of PM2.5 was 316 — lowest of all those observed till then.
