In response to the worsening air quality in the national capital, the Delhi government has taken a significant step by suspending all physical school classes, with the exception of Classes 10 and 12, until November 10.
An official order issued by the Delhi government states, “In light of the implementation of Stage IV Graded Response Action Plan order issued by the Central Agency for Air Quality Management (CAQM), it is mandated that all classes, except for Board Classes, i.e., Class X and Class XII, in all schools across Delhi, will be conducted online until November 10.” The order also specifies that teachers will continue to come to school and conduct online classes.
To put this decision into context, it’s essential to understand the severity of the air quality in Delhi. An Air Quality Index (AQI) of 30 is considered safe and acceptable. However, in Delhi, the AQI has alarmingly reached a staggering 999, which is the maximum limit of measurement.
In response to this critical situation, Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, has called for a high-level meeting. The CM has reached out to researchers and scientists from all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to participate in the meeting and work collectively to find a solution to this pressing problem.
CM Kejriwal’s vision is to develop a specialized machine capable of measuring AQI levels up to 9999. This innovation is aimed at ensuring that the people of Delhi do not face such air quality issues in the future.
In addition to these measures, the Delhi government is set to reinstate the odd-even vehicle rule from November 13 to 20. Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, has stated, “In light of the severe air pollution, the Odd-Even vehicle system will be enforced for one week, starting from November 13.”
Regarding the implementation of the Odd-Even scheme, Minister Gopal Rai has further explained, “A meeting has been scheduled to discuss the detailed plan for implementing the Odd-Even scheme in Delhi. The city currently has over 7,000 buses in operation, with 1,000 of them being electric. The frequency of buses and metro services has also been increased to combat vehicular pollution.”
In summary, all government and primary schools in Delhi will remain closed until November 10, with all classes except those in the 10th and 12th grades instructed to conduct their classes online during this period. These measures have been put in place to address the dire air quality situation in the city.
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