Primary schools in the capital city of India will remain closed until November 10 due to elevated pollution levels, according to a statement posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, by a Delhi government minister. “Due to the persistent high pollution levels, primary schools in Delhi will continue to be shut until November 10,” Atishi Marlena, education minister, Delhi, said. Additionally, she mentioned that schools for students in grades 6th-12th are being offered the option to conduct classes online.
New Delhi currently ranks as the world’s most polluted city in real-time air quality data, as compiled by the Swiss group IQAir. The city’s air quality index (AQI) on Sunday reached a hazardous level of 471. In comparison, Lahore in Pakistan had a very unhealthy AQI score of 261.
The severe air pollution in the city also had repercussions on the sports front, as Sri Lanka had to cancel their training session on Saturday. This cancellation was due to the toxic air, as they were preparing for a World Cup match against Bangladesh scheduled for Monday in the highly polluted Indian capital.
For reference, an AQI range of 0-50 is considered good, while levels in the range of 400-500 are detrimental to the health of even those without pre-existing conditions.
With inputs from Reuters.