DELHI NCR
This comes after authorities imposed the fourth and final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to tackle the air pollution crisis. The government has also asked offices to call in 50 percent staff and give work-from-home option to the others.
The government of Delhi has directed all state-run and private schools to hold classes for up to 9th Standard students and for 11th Standrad students in hybrid mode -- both physical and online -- as air pollution in the national capital region (NCR) continues to worsen. This comes after authorities imposed the fourth and final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to tackle the pollution crisis. The government has also asked offices to call in 50 percent staff and give work-from-home option to the other half.
The government directive comes after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) -- the central government's anti-pollution panel -- imposed a range of restrictions across NCR under GRAP-4 on Saturday evening. Earlier in the day, the commission had invoked measures under GRAP-3 to tackle the rising pollution levels. "Keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality and in an effort to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP decides to invoke all actions as envisaged under Stage-IV of the extant GRAP - 'Severe+' Air Quality (DELHI AQI > 450), with immediate effect, in the entire NCR," the CAQM said in a statement.
Delhi's air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 431 at 4 pm on Saturday, and surged to 441 at 6 pm. The GRAP system has four levels: GRAP 1 restrictions are imposed when the AQI is between 201 and 300 (categorised as poor); GRAP 2 measures come into force when the AQI is between 301 and 400 (very poor); GRAP 3 between 401 and 450 (severe); GRAP 4 when AQI crosses 450 (severe plus).