New Delhi , Nov 1 (UNI) A Supreme Court mandated panel on Friday declared Public health emergency in the National Capital as the city continues to reel under severe air quality following Diwali and stubble burning in the neighbouring states.
In the wake of the escalated bad-air situation with shooting pollution here, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced that the schools in Delhi will remain closed till November 5.
Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Mr Kejriwal said, ‘Due to the stubble burning, the level of pollution has increased very much in Delhi. Therefore, the government has decided that all the schools in Delhi will remain closed till November 5.’
The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has put a halt on construction activity till November 5 due to the elevated pollution levels in the region falling under ‘severe’ category.
The average ambient air quality in the city was under the ‘severe’ category on Friday evening with index value of 484, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
Meanwhile , Mr Kejriwal, along with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, distributed masks to Delhi government school students, following rise in pollution levels in the city.
Delhi Chief Minister, since a couple of days, has urged the Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments to take concrete steps to save the National Capital and adjoining areas from the bad air situation.
The Delhi government is doing all it can to make the situation better. However, the stubble burning incidents are a major problem he had said earlier.
The government had also asked the people to refrain from bursting fire crackers during festivities in the winter season as part of the plan to curb air pollution.
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Diwali fireworks and burning of unwanted vegetation creates excessive smog and pollution in an already impoverished city and the root causes must be addressed