Delhi: Primary schools to reopen from November 9 as AQI improves marginally

Primary schools in Delhi will reopen from November 9 and restrictions on open activities will be removed, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Monday, November 7, according to a tweet by ANI.

As per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the overall AQI of the city improved further to 326 in the "very poor" category this morning, as stated in a report by IANS. The concentration of both PM 2.5 and PM 10 in the environment was recorded at 326 under the "very poor" category and 205 under "poor" category respectively.

The minister also said that directions for work from home have been amended and offices will be functioning at full capacity from today, November 7. Ban on construction work related to highway, road, flyover, overbridge, pipeline, power transmission has also been lifted, as per ANI.

On November 4, the Delhi government decided to close primary schools from Saturday, November 5, till further notice and outdoor activities were to be curtailed for senior classes due to the severe air conditions in the nation's capital. In this context, it was decided that classes would be conducted online. Additionally, the government had banned the entry of trucks other than essential services in the national capital following the introduction of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) IV. The government has also constituted a six-member committee to monitor truck entry in the capital city.

Meanwhile, the central committee on Air Quality Management on Sunday, November 6 removed the GRAP-IV restrictions from Delhi and the National Capital Region as the air index quality on Sunday showed slight improvement.