Parents demand shutting of schools as Delhi's air quality becomes 'hazardous', AQI exceeds 450

Amid the deteriorating air quality in Delhi, the parents and environmentalists in the national capital are demanding the closure of the schools as Noida has already switched to online classes for all schools.

Image credit: ANI

New Delhi: Concerns for 20 million Delhi residents increased as the national capitals' air quality slipped to the severe category exceeding the 450 mark on Air Quality Index (AQI). An AQI of over 400 is hazardous as it also starts affecting healthy people, with severe impacts on those with existing diseases. Keeping the deteriorating air quality in the Delhi- NCR region, schools in Gautam Budh Nagar have been ordered to hold online classes for students from class 1 to class 8 in Gautam Budh Nagar district until 8th November as Noida's AQI stood at 562.
Delhi is yet to take a decision on the closure of schools and switch to online classes amid the increase in toxicity of air in the national capital, however parents and environmentalists on social media demanded that schools be closed.

"I know children don't vote for you, but still, requesting all the chief ministers of Delhi (capital region) to immediately SHUT DOWN all the schools," environmental activist Vimlendu Jha wrote on Twitter. 
"It's not NORMAL to breathe 500+ AQI, not for our children, where every third child already has some pulmonary challenge."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose party also rules Punjab state where crop burning is rampant, said on Twitter that the "people of Punjab and Delhi are taking all steps at their level" to tackle pollution.

According to Delhi Pollution Control Committee findings, the index exceeded 800 in some pockets of the city. Alarmed by abnormally high levels of air pollution in Delhi, the pollution control board on Thursday evening banned the entry of diesel trucks carrying non-essential goods into the capital.

Delhi's air quality slips to severe category

The world's most polluted capital is blanketed in smog every winter as cold, heavy air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions and smoke from the burning of crop stubble in neighbouring states to clear the fields for the next crop. Lower temperatures, calmer winds and their changing direction worsen the air quality from time to time.

The capital this week halted most construction and demolition work to curb dust pollution and appealed to residents to share car and motorcycle journeys, work from home when possible and reduce the use of coal and firewood at home.