This Saturday, Delhi’s chief minister announced that New Delhi schools will remain closed for a week considering the severe levels of air pollution that have covered the megacity. Construction activities will be banned for four days, and work from home will be implemented in government offices to deal with the crisis,
Hours after the Supreme Court suggested robust and immediate measures to manage the city’s poor air quality, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal proposed a few steps on Saturday.
From Monday onwards, schools will be physically closed and virtual classes will continue to save children from breathing polluted air, chief minister Kejriwal announced, after an emergency meeting conducted to confront the severe air pollution in the national capital.
For a week, government agencies will operate at total capacity from their homes. According to the CM, private offices will be advised to use the work from home (WFH) option as much as possible.
From November 14 to 17, construction activity in Delhi will be forbidden. The chief minister claimed that pollution levels in Delhi are growing as a result of stubble burning in neighbouring states, and he urged all stakeholders to help address the problem.
While addressing the reporters, Kejriwal said that his government would also put a lockdown proposal in front of the Supreme Court.
“There was a suggestion in Supreme Court over complete lockdown in Delhi if (pollution) situation turns worse. We’re drafting a proposal, which will be discussed with agencies, Centre and will present a plan to Supreme Court. If the lockdown happens, construction, vehicular movement will have to be stopped,” said Kejriwal.
The Supreme Court urged a lockdown in the national capital, calling the spike in air pollution in the Delhi-NCR an “emergency” situation and asking the central and the Delhi government to take immediate measures to improve air quality. According to the court, the pollution situation is so extreme that residents are wearing masks inside their homes.
There are other pollution causes, such as automobile emissions, fireworks, and dust, and singling out stubble burning is not the solution; a bench led by Chief Justice N V Ramana remarked on the Delhi government’s stand on air pollution.
