Delhi: The Supreme Court-mandated anti-pollution authority EPCA on Wednesday ordered schools in Delhi-NCR to be closed for the next two days as pollution in the city hovered close to ’emergency’ levels. It also advised people to avoid outdoor exposure and work from home wherever feasible.
The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority also extended the ban on hot-mix plants and stone-crushers in Delhi-NCR till November 15.
In Delhi, industries which have not yet shifted to piped natural gas, will not operate during the period.
Outdoor activities in Delhi schools remained suspended on Wednesday as unfavourable weather conditions pushed the pollution levels in the city towards the “emergency” zone for the third time in the last 15 days. Early this month, the Delhi government shut all schools for four days after a Supreme Court-mandated panel declared a public health emergency in the Delhi-NCR region in the wake of rising pollution level. The schools
The PM10 levels increased to 506 microgram
s per cubic meter in the morning, more than five times the safe limit of 100 micrograms per cubic meter. According to weather experts, a fall in the temperature and wind speed led to the accumulation of pollutants. The problem was compounded by a cloud cover that blocked sunlight.