Schools in Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad will remain closed on Thursday and Friday as pollution levels touched hazardous levels.
The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority on Wednesday advised the Delhi government and other authorities in the National Capital Region to close schools in the city for the next two days, NDTV reported. The panel, set up by the Supreme Court, has also asked industries using coal and other such fuels to remain closed till November 15, according to ANI.
Soon after the EPCA’s advisory, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced that all government and private schools in the city will be closed for the next two days.
This is the second time in as many weeks that schools in the city have been told not to open, and construction activities have been banned. On November 1, the government had declared a public health emergency.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court asked the Delhi government and the Central Pollution Control Board to provide two sets of data on the Air Quality Index in the national Capital from this year and 2018. The top court sought the information amid Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s comment that his administration may extend the odd-even scheme, which is scheduled to end on Friday.
Last week, the Supreme Court had pulled up the Centre and the Delhi government for their inaction on the air pollution in the national Capital. It also castigated the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for failing to curb stubble burning, which is contributing to rising pollution levels.
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