Delhi pollution: Early winter break for schools from Nov 9-18 amid severe air quality

The Delhi government on Wednesday announced an early winter break for schools from November 9-18 amid severe air pollution and AQI levels. Heads of schools have been directed to convey this information to parents immediately. 

The Delhi government's Directorate of Education announced the development in an order dated November 8, 2023. As per this order, both students and teachers are instructed to stay at home. "In view of air pollution, the winter break for all schools, which is usually from December, has been rescheduled, now to be from November 9-18," the Delhi education department was quoted as saying by India Today.

The order said that the early winter break was announced due to the implementation of the GRAP-IV restrictions and worsening weather conditions. On November 5, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) decided to invoke Stage IV of the deterioration of air quality in the Delhi-NCR region. 

Under GRAP-IV restrictions, entry of trucks into Delhi barring those carrying essential commodities and services and all LNG/CNG/electric trucks has been stopped. Delhi-registered diesel-operated medium goods vehicles (MGVs) and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in the city, barring those carrying essential commodities and services, have been banned. 

The Delhi government has also banned the entry of application-based commercial cabs such as Ola and Uber that are not registered in Delhi. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that the decision has been taken after the Supreme Court's directions in this regard. 

Moreover, state governments of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh have discontinued physical classes even for classes 6-9 and class 11 given the worsening air quality. Schools in Delhi, Noida and Uttar Pradesh are conducting lessons in an online mode at present. All classes except classes 10 and 12 are being conducted in online mode. 

Delhi air quality today

As of 1 pm, the air quality in Delhi's Anand Vihar was severe as the area logged an AQI of 453. Dwarka, IGI Airport T3, ITO, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, and Mundka logged an AQI of 439, 434, 442, 401 and 444 respectively.

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