Delhi govt shuts schools, colleges
NEW DELHI: In view of high pollution levels in Delhi, the city’s environment minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said his government has decided to shut schools, colleges and other educational institutions till further orders and extend the ban on construction and demolition activities till November 21.
The Delhi government has also decided to extend workfrom-home for its employees till Sunday. At a press conference after a high-level meet with officials of the departments concerned, Rai said, “1,000 private CNG buses will be hired to strengthen the public transport system. The process will start on Thursday.” “Schools, colleges, libraries, training centres will remain shut till further orders. We have banned the entry of trucks carrying non-essential items,” he said. Rai said the Delhi Metro and the Delhi Transport Corporation have written to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority to allow people to travel in metro trains and public vehicles standing.
The transport department has provided a list of diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 years and 15 years, respectively, to the traffic police to stop them from plying on roads. The traffic police have been directed to create a special task force to monitor congestion. The drive to check pollution-under-control certificates will be intensified, the minister said.
“Machines of the fire brigade will sprinkle water at 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi in addition to the 372 tankers already deployed in the city for this purpose,” he said.
Ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on the air pollution issue, the Commission for Air Quality Management late on Tuesday night directed that schools, colleges and educational institutions in the National Capital Region will remain closed until further orders, allowing only online mode of education.