Delhi School Holiday Declared for Classes 1 to 9 Due to Air Pollution: In order to protect the health of young students from deteriorating air quality, the Delhi government has declared a school holiday for classes 1 to 9. The order for Delhi School Holiday Declared for Class 1 to 9 Due to Air Pollution will be effective from Monday, November 18, 2024, and will remain in effect until further notice.
The decision comes as the national capital continues to grapple with a severe air pollution crisis. The Air Quality Index (AQI) has been consistently in the 'severe plus' category, prompting concerns about the potential health risks, especially for children.
Delhi School Holiday Declared for Class 1 to 9 Due to Air Pollution
Chief Minister Atishi announced on Sunday that the physical classes will be discontinued for all students till class 9 until further orders due to worsening conditions of pollution in Delhi and surrounding areas. However, the schools will remain operational in online mode from immediate effect.
The Delhi government took this decision after the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi touched hazardous levels, crossing 450-500 levels in several areas, including Anand Vihar, Dwarka, and Chandni Chowk. The national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 457 by 7 pm on Sunday. Further, in light of the current situation, the Haryana government has also closed schools until class 5. However, there are no updates yet on school closures in Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Ghaziabad.
According to IMD, residents of Delhi are likely to experience "dense" to “very dense” fog affecting the aviation, train, and travel facilities. The visibility of the city has dropped to 200 meters and the government has issued certain regulations to tackle the situation. Considering the conditions, the Delhi government has implemented GRAP IV in the national capital, which means -
- Delhi-registered BS-IV or older diesel medium and heavy freight vehicles are prohibited, except for those engaged in vital services.
- Only trucks carrying essential necessities or utilizing clean fuel (LNG/CNG/BS-VI diesel/electric) would be allowed to enter Delhi.
- Construction activities, including highways, roads, flyovers, power lines, pipelines, and other public projects, have been paused in Delhi.
- Offices are urged to reduce employment to 50%, and work-from-home is initiated.
For further information regarding the Delhi School Holiday, students must keep in touch with the school management and the state news.