Delhi Schools Closed Until When? AQI spike shifts classes online in THESE areas

Delhi Schools Closed Until When? AQI spike shifts classes online in THESE areas

Delhi Schools Closed Until When: The Air Quality Index in the capital city, Delhi has spiked to a severe level due to which the schools and colleges have been declared as closed. On November 18, the Apex Court emphasised that both at the Central and State levels, the government should take immediate action to provide relief to its citizens by closing schools and adjusting working hours. As per the latest updates, the AQI level at Delhi is 447, 222 for Noida, 185 for Gurgaon, and 173 for Faridabad. As per the SC notice, the measures were to be taken until the AQI levels fall below 450, following which the Delhi Schools along with Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, and Meerut, the schools will remain closed until November 23. Higher education institutes like colleges and universities have also been declared as closed with immediate effect from November 19.

Online Mode for Schools in Noida and Ghaziabad

Due to the extreme pollution levels, all Noida schools, from Class 1 to Class 12, would only be able to conduct online classes, following the directives of District Magistrate Manish Verma. Until further notice, this order shall be in effect.

All Gautam Buddh Nagar District schools are instructed to follow the steps indicated in Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan. As a result, Verma issued an order for all schools to stop holding in-person classes for students in Pre-School through Class 12 till November 23 and only offer classes online. Similarly, citing the implementation of GRAP Stage 4 and the high levels of pollution, Ghaziabad District Magistrate Indra Vikram Singh has ordered online lectures for children up to Class 12.

The Graded Response Action strategy (GRAP) is a thorough strategy that specifies what should be done at various air pollution levels, from moderate to severe. These efforts include measures like restricting certain industrial activity, road restrictions and traffic diversions for heavy trucks and managing construction dust. In the National Capital Region and surrounding areas, the Center's Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invokes the GRAP.

Faridabad and Gurugram Schools Close

Authorities in Haryana have also ordered the closure of schools in Gurugram and Faridabad due to the poisonous air quality. To protect students' health, classes up to Class 12 will be postponed till further notice and online classes will be conducted.

In response to the air pollution, the Haryana government also gave the deputy commissioners permission on Monday to stop holding physical classes at both public and private institutions. The directorate of school education issued a letter approving it. Until the air quality improves, the assessment must take into consideration the AQI levels in the districts' rural and urban areas. The Haryana government gave the DCs permission on Saturday to temporarily close physical classes in schools up to class 5.