Delhi air pollution: Environment Minister Gopal Rai sets up meeting, to mull resuming primary schools

New Delhi: The Environment Minister of Delhi, Gopal Rai, is going to chair a high-level meeting today to mull the new directions by the Centre's air quality panel about lifting curbs imposed under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan, officials said. A decision to reopen primary schools and revoke the order asking 50 per cent of the government staff to work from home is likely to be taken at the meeting.

The Centre's air quality panel on Sunday had directed authorities to lift the ban on plying non-BS VI diesel-run light motor vehicles in Delhi-NCR and entry of trucks into the capital imposed under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan. The restrictions were imposed three days ago. As Delhi's air quality index spiralled to 450, just a notch short of the "severe plus" category, on Thursday, the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) directed authorities to ban the plying of non-BS VI diesel light motor vehicles in the city and adjoining NCR districts and the entry of trucks into the national capital as part of anti-pollution measures under stage IV of GRAP.

The high pollution levels forced the Delhi government to announce additional measures on Friday, November 4, including the closure of primary schools November 5 onwards and work from home for 50 per cent of its staff. As the air pollution in the capital increased marginally to the lower end of the "very poor" category on Sunday, the CAQM directed authorities to lift the curbs. The decision regarding revoking the work-from-home order and reopening primary schools has to be taken by the Delhi government.