Due to the escalating pollution in Delhi, there’s a chance the government might announce an early winter break for school children.
Delhi Schools Reopening: As vast swathes of North India continued to reel under the effects of the falling mercury, a thick layer of fog enveloped the national capital on Saturday, affecting visibility. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research(SAFAR-India), was recorded in the ‘Very Poor‘ range at 8:07 AM on Saturday. Due to the escalating pollution in Delhi, there’s a chance the government might announce an early winter break for school children. In other words, the scheduled winter break for Delhi schools, set from January 1 to January 6, 2024, could be rescheduled due to the deteriorating air quality.
According to the circular(dated December 6) from the Directorate of Education, winter vacation in Delhi schools has been reduced from 15 to six days and will begin from January 1, 2024. Winter vacation for the academic session 2023-24 was scheduled to take place from January 1 to January 15. “However, in order to ensure that our students are not adversely affected due to the poor air quality in Delhi, a portion of winter Vacation was observed from November 9 to November 18,” reads the circular.
The remaining portion of the winter vacation for academic session 2023-2024 is scheduled to be observed from January 1 to January 6, 2024. But seeing the declining air quality in the city, the slated winter break for Delhi schools might be rescheduled.
GRAP-III Invoked in Delhi As Air Quality Dips
Amid worsening air quality in the city and NCR, the Delhi government on Friday imposed a ban on the plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in the national capital in view of an order of the Centre’s air quality management panel. A Press Information Bureau(PIB) press release states that State Governments in NCR and GNCTD may take a decision on discontinuing physical classes in schools for children up to Class V and conducting classes in an online mode.
8-point action plan as per Stage III of GRAP
An 8-point action plan as per Stage III of GRAP is applicable from Friday(December 22) with immediate effect in the entire NCR. “NCR State governments/GNCTD to impose strict restrictions on plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel LMVs (4-wheelers) in Delhi and in the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar. State governments in NCR and GNCTD may take a decision on discontinuing physical classes in schools for children up to Class V and conducting classes in an online mode’,” the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated. These steps are:-
- Further, intensify the frequency of mechanised/ vacuum-based sweeping of roads.
- Ensure daily water sprinkling along with dust suppressants, before peak traffic hours, on roads and right of ways including hotspots, heavy traffic corridors, and ensure proper disposal of the collected dust in designated sites/ landfills.
- Further, intensify public transport services. Introduce differential rates to encourage off-peak travel.
- Construction & Demolition activities: (i) Enforce strict ban on construction and demolition activities in the entire NCR, except for the following categories of projects: Projects for Railway services / Railway stations, Projects for Metro Rail Services and stations, Airports and Inter State Bus Terminals, National security/ defence related activities/ projects of national importance, Hospitals/ health care facilities, Linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, over bridges, power transmission/distribution, pipelines etc, Sanitation projects like sewage treatment plants and water supply projects etc.; Ancillary activities, specific to and supplementing the above noted categories of projects.
Note: The above exemptions shall be further subject to strict compliance of the C&D Waste Management Rules, dust prevention/ control norms including compliance with the directions of the Commission issued from time to time in this regard.
(ii) Other than the projects exempted under (i) above, dust generating/ air pollution causing C&D activities to be strictly banned during this period shall include:
Earthwork for excavation and filling including boring & drilling works, All structural construction works including fabrication and welding operations, Demolition works, Loading & unloading of construction materials anywhere within or outside the project sites, Transfer of raw materials either manually or through conveyor belts, including fly ash, Movement of vehicles on unpaved roads,Operation of batching plant, Laying of sewer line, waterline, drainage work and electric cabling by open trench system, Cutting and fixing of tiles, stones and other flooring materials, Grinding activities, Piling work, Water Proofing work, Painting, Polishing and varnishing works etc, Road construction/ repair works including paving of sidewalks/pathways and central verges etc.
(iii) For all construction projects in NCR, non‑polluting / non-dust generating activities such as plumbing works, electrical works, carpentry related works and interior furnishing / finishing / decoration works (excluding painting, polishing and varnishing works etc) shall be permitted to be continued.
5. Close down operations of stone crushers
6. Close down all mining and associated activities in NCR.
7. NCR State Govts./GNCTD to impose strict restrictions on plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel LMVs (4 wheelers) in Delhi and in the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar.
8. State Govts. in NCR and GNCTD may take a decision on discontinuing physical classes in schools for children up to Class V and conducting classes in an online mode.
Under Stage-III, restrictions are also imposed on the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar. The GRAP is the Centre’s air pollution control plan implemented in the region during the winter season. The GRAP categorises actions into four stages: Stage I – ‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage II – ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301-400); Stage III – ‘Severe’ (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV – ‘Severe Plus’ (AQI>450).
What is the Air Quality Index (AQI)?
An air quality index (AQI) is an indicator that is developed by government agencies to communicate to the people and masses how polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become. Remember, the higher the AQI, the worse the air. An AQI between 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’ and 401-450 ‘severe’. An AQI above 450 falls in the ‘severe plus’ category.