Spike in pollution levels: Delhi primary schools to remain closed from today

Primary schools will be closed from Saturday (November 4) due to the spike in pollution levels in the national capital.

This was announced by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at a press conference, where he also said that deteriorating air quality and pollution levels were a problem of entire north India and the Centre should take steps to address it.

Further, he asserted that this is not the time for “blame game and politics” but a time to find a solution to the problem. “Blaming Kejriwal or the Punjab government won’t help,” he stressed.

The city continued to reel under the eye-stinging pollution with air quality recorded in the severe category even on Friday. Kejriwal declared that classes up to the fifth standard will be closed and outdoor activities for classes above fifth standard will be suspended from November 5 onwards. “We are also mulling over implementing the odd even scheme for plying of vehicles,” he added.

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The chief minister was joined by his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann. Kejriwal accepted that the stubble burning happening in Punjab was his party’s responsibility since the AAP government is in power in the state.

“Since our government is in Punjab, we are responsible for the stubble burning. It has been only six months since we formed the government there and there were issues that were being addressed. We are finding solutions. Give us a year’s time to address the issue,” Kejriwal said.

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Mann concurred with him and said there was bumper paddy crop, which resulted in a huge amount of stubble. “We are taking steps like there are 1.20 lakh machines to bury stubble. Panchayats have also passed resolutions to stop stubble burning. We promise by November next year, stubble burning will reduce,” he said.