New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR and Adjoining Areas on Friday allowed all states governments in the NCR and the Delhi government to resume physical classes in all schools and educational institutes in a phased manner with immediate effect, an order issued by the Centre-appointed air quality panel said.
The CAQM, which was allowed by the Supreme Court to take a call on restrictions, said the NCR cities can now reopen schools for Class VI and above with immediate effect and added that physical classes for Class V and below can resume from December 27.
However, even as the commission extended the ban on construction and demolition activities, it eased the restrictions - by exempting projects related to hospitals, nursing homes, healthcare facilities, linear public projects and public utility projects from the ban - provided they show strict adherence to the prescribed anti-dust and anti-pollution norms.
"Taking into consideration different studies that clearly show that construction and demolition sites are a major contributor of air pollution across the NCR, the commission is of the view that except for the above-said exemptions, construction and demolition activities should not be allowed in the NCR till further orders," the panel said in an official order.
Significantly, projects related to railway services or stations, Metro rail services, airports and ISBTs, national security or de-fence or of national importance were already exempted from the construction ban provided they follow norms.
Also exempted are projects involving linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines etc., sanitation and public utility projects like sewage treatment plants, water pumping stations etc and ancillary activities specific to and supplementing the mentioned categories of projects, the CAQM said. "Based on the air quality forecast and significant improvement in air quality, the decision will be reviewed further," the panel added.
"While the Commission's restrictions are still in force to control air pollution from two other major sectors contributing to air pollution namely industries and transport, it is both advisable and desirable to follow a phased approach in respect of the construction sector also considering the air quality in NCR," the CAQM order said. The air quality in the Capital was in the "very poor" category on Friday too.