NEW DELHI: Responding to the “emergency air” in the capital, where air quality is still in the zone of “heavy” for seven of the last nine days, the Delhi government has closed all schools, colleges and educational institutions for a week, banned the construction activities for three days and announced it was working on a “lockdown” Proposals to assist breathing city.
Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a high-level emergency meeting at Delhi Secretariat on Saturday night and announced a series of steps during the week to check the air quality deteriorates.
Safe! You have successfully thrown voteLogin you to schools view resultAll, universities, and educational institutions will be closed during the week of Monday, all construction activities would be prohibited for three days from Sunday and all government offices, including those involved in emergency services , will switch to work-from-home while private offices have also been advised to choose to work from home.
Steps can be extended if capital continues to be in the air emergencies.
While schools will be closed, virtual classes will continue so that students do not suffer losses further learning.
physical classroom in the school must return only earlier this month after nearly a year-and-a-half since Covid pandemic.
On the possibility of Delhi will be another lockdown, the CM said the government was working on a “lockdown proposal” but it will be implemented only after taking into account all the aspects of such an extreme step.
“We do not apply a lock at this time, because assessing the impact of these measures is the most important first.
We are drafting a proposal on this prospect and will place it on the court at the next hearing.
It will be the most extreme measures, if taken, so that all relevant agencies will be consulted at length.
Center, together with the CPCB and SAFAR, shall be taken into confidence before taking the decision.
If the lock-like situation comes into place, then all vehicles, industrial and construction activities may be shut down.
It is still in the proposal stage and will be placed in front of the first court, “said Kejriwal.
The Supreme Court has suggested that the Center and the Delhi government to consider the implementation of a two-day lockdown, if there is a need, in the capital where air quality has greatly deteriorated.
SC made the observation when hearing a case in this regard.
“Starting Monday, the physical classroom in the school will be closed for a week.
virtual classroom for students will continue for a while.
This step will primarily protect children from breathing toxic air while outside the confines of their homes, “Kejriwal said, adding that the government wants to tackle such emergency situations that have fallen in Delhi due to increased pollution.
“Our goal now is to protect this family from two crore Delhi residents, especially our children, who need care and prevention,” said the CM.
CM said that the construction ban is necessary because the three-day weather forecast had indicated during this period the situation will be worse than the present situation.
“The wind was not really being expected during 14-17, and we all know that straw burning pollution will, in any case, penetrate to Delhi, creating a fatal situation.
Accordingly, we have taken harsh steps should pull the plug on construction activity for the moment, “said the CM.
Kerjriwal said, “All the Delhi government offices will function in the work-from-home in a way for a week.
All government offices will close, but it is important to state that it is not a holiday.
The entire workforce will continue to work remotely for this week.
The officers must be available in emergency call situations.
Advisory on the same line will be issued for private office to work from home as much as they can.
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CM stated that the level of pollution is significantly increased in the last few days.
“The data clearly states that the air was not as polluted in Delhi before 30 September and were in level’memuaskan ‘, even on bad days.
Until then, AQI is about 100, but since then, AQI has sharply increased.
This happens mainly because the farmers in our neighboring countries have been forced into a situation where they have to make their straw burning.
However, the Delhi government has no intention of wasting time is important in this situation by entering the blame game, “Kejriwal claimed, adding that the only motive of the Delhi government at this point is to address air emergency.