New Delhi:After the Supreme Court-mandated panel declared a public health emergency in the Delhi-NCR region, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced that all the schools in the state to remain closed till November 5.
Earlier, the Supreme Court-mandated panel has directed to ban the construction activity till November 5.
As pollution level in the region entered the 'severe-plus' category, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority also banned the bursting of crackers during the winter season.
Health emergency declared in Delhi Schools advised to curtail outdoor activities of children
- Supreme Court-mandated panel on Friday asked schools to curtail all outdoor activities and sports till November 5 to minimise exposure of children to pollution.
- The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority also asked public authorities to issue advisories asking people to minimise their personal exposure to pollution as far as possible.
- The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 1 pm on Friday was recorded at 480, which falls in the 'severe' category.
- An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'. Above 500 falls in the 'severe-plus emergency' category.
- Earlier, the EPCA had banned construction activities only for the period between 6 pm and 10 am till November 2.
- Now, no construction can take place even in the daytime.
The air quality in Delhi-NCR deteriorated further Thursday night and is now at the severe-plus level, EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal said in a letter to the chief secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.
"We have to take this as a public health emergency as air pollution will have an adverse health impact on all, particularly our children," he said in the letter.
Also Read:Delh's air quality drops to 'emergency' category first time since January
