Delhi AQI Gets Severe: WFH, Closure Of Schools and Banned Construction - Advisory Details

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Tuesday reported that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi's Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, and several other locations has crossed the maximum level of 500, raising worries about public health and safety in the national capital. A thick layer of smog covered NCR for the seventh day in a row, prompting civic authorities and pollution monitoring agencies to impose GRAP IV norms and advise schools and colleges to remain closed.

Delhi AQI - Pollution advisory: Details

The national capital has seen its worst-ever AQI, plunging into the'severe plus’ category. As a result, the Delhi government has imposed Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage IV. As a apart of the plan, physical classes for kids up to Class 9 will be discontinued from Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi declared on Sunday via the social networking site X.
 
The CM posted, “With the imposition of GRAP-IV from tomorrow, physical classes shall be discontinued for all students, apart from Class 10 and 12. All schools will hold online classes until further orders.” 

Delhi Pollution: Advisory from Delhi University, JNU

According to a notice from Delhi University, regular sessions will resume on November 25 in physical mode. In a statement, JNU announced that all classes would be held online till November 22. According to Delhi University, the exam and interview schedules are still unchanged. Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) recommended moving classes 6 to 9 and class 11 to online learning.

Delhi Pollution: Work from Home for offices?

Offices in the NCR region have been advised to run at 50% capacity, with the rest of the staff working from home. Declaring the air situation a'medical emergency,’ the Delhi administration called on institutions to take precautionary action for the sake of public health. Weather and stubble burning are the two main causes of the city's air pollution. Construction activities have also been banned in the city until further orders.