HT Digital,
New Delhi, Nov 18: Schools in Delhi are set to reopen on Monday, November 20, as the city’s air quality has improved from ‘severe’ to ‘very poor’. The Directorate of Education announced in a Saturday notice that outdoor activities and assemblies will remain suspended for another week.
The Delhi government had previously declared an early winter break for schools from November 9 to 18 due to the severe air pollution. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) lifted the Stage-IV anti-pollution restrictions of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi and nearby regions as the air quality improved.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras have forecasted no sharp degradation in the city’s air quality.
The average Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city, recorded daily at 4 pm, improved from 405 on Friday to 319 on Saturday.
The previous readings were 419 on Thursday, 401 on Wednesday, 397 on Tuesday, 358 on Monday, 218 on Sunday, 220 on Saturday and 279 on Friday. The neighbouring cities – Ghaziabad (276), Gurugram (322), Greater Noida (228), Noida (265) and Faridabad (309) – also reported ‘very poor’ air quality.
