Key Highlights:
- Air pollution levels in Delhi surged to over 17 times the permissible limit
- Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) announced online classes
- Some Delhi stations report air quality index of 499-500
- Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) IV restrictions currently in place in the national capital
Air pollution levels in Delhi surged to over 17 times the permissible limit, leading to measures such as restrictions on trucking, the closure of construction sites, and the shutdown of schools amid worsening smog.
Due to the deteriorating air quality and hazardous AQI levels in Delhi and the NCR, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has announced that classes will be held online until November 22.
The decision comes after a thick, dense smog enveloped Delhi, obscuring silhouettes and significantly lowering visibility, as the air quality index soared to 494, marking the highest level of the season on Tuesday.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that the air quality index in several areas of Delhi, including Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, and Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, reached 500 on Tuesday morning, raising concerns about public health and safety.
The strictest Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) IV restrictions are currently in place in the national capital, with the Supreme Court asking authorities not to lift the curbs without obtaining its permission even if the AQI falls below 450.
Stage 4 pollution curbs of the Graded Response Action Plan include a ban on truck entry, except for those carrying essential items or using clean fuel like LNG, CNG, BS-VI diesel, or electric. Non-essential light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi are also prohibited unless they are electric, CNG, or BS-VI diesel. Construction at public projects has been halted entirely.
Particulate matter over Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, and Faridabad has turned the sky to muted grey. Schools across the Delhi-NCR region will conduct online classes starting today. While the Delhi government and Faridabad did not announce an end date for the online classes, Noida and Gurugram have stopped physical classes till November 23.
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