CAQM asks Raj & UP to shut schools
New Delhi: With air pollution in the National Capital Region at hazardous levels for weeks together now, the Haryana government on Sunday followed Delhi's suit — shutting down schools and all construction activities in four NCR districts temporarily and the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR advised both Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to do the same in light of the "emergency" situation the NCR finds itself in.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Sunday advised Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to consider implementing restrictions — including closure of schools along with construction and demolition activities — as announced by the Delhi government to contain spiralling air pollution levels. The Haryana government soon after the meeting announced the curbs.
The state governments and district administrations in the National Capital Region have also been suggested to issue a "citizen charter/advisory" for the public on steps that need to be taken during various stages of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
At an emergency meeting, the CAQM advised the governments of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to "consider similar restrictions/regulations in the respective NCR districts as implemented by GNCTD through its order on November 13 which includes, inter alia, closure of schools up to November 20 and closure of C&D activities from November 14 to 17", a statement said.
The commission asked the states and agencies concerned to be in complete readiness for implementing emergency measures as listed under GRAP.
The commission also said the adverse air quality scenario in Delhi-NCR was also "greatly impacted by a dust storm moving in from the South-Westerly directions of the Thar desert which brought in huge quantities of dust that further amplified the PM2.5 and PM10 levels significantly.
The air quality on Sunday improved marginally but remained in the "very poor" category with the Central Pollution Control Board recording an AQI of 330.
The air quality index of neighbouring Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, Greater Noida was recorded at 331, 287, 321, 298 and 310, respectively.
The India Meteorological Department said visibility levels ranged from 1,500 to 2,200 metres at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and from 1,000 to 1,500 metres at the Safdarjung Airport.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality forecasting agency SAFAR said transport-level winds are "slowing down resulting in lesser intrusion of farm fires-related pollutants into Delhi".
Over 3,400 farm fires accounted for 12 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on Sunday, down from 31 per cent on Saturday.
SAFAR said the air quality in Delhi may improve a little over the next two days due to the restrictions if the share of stubble burning does not increase but added that it is likely to worsen from November 16 onwards.
