Air Pollution: Delhi schools, Colleges to reopen on Monday

New Delhi, Nov 24: As air quality improved marginally in India, the Delhi government has decided to reopen schools and collges to reopen from Monday.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai is expected held a high-level meeting today to review pollution-related restrictions imposed in the city.

"Air quality in Delhi is improving now. Schools, colleges, educational institutes to re-open from 29th November in Delhi," said Gopal Rai after the review meeting.

"Normal functioning of Delhi govt offices will also resume from 29th November. We advise them to use public transport to commute. Special bus services will be started from colonies where the maximum number of Delhi govt employees reside," he said.

Schools in Delhi have been shut since November 15 due to 'severe' air pollution levels. The Directorate of Education had earlier announced that schools, colleges as well as government offices will remain closed till further orders. In the meantime, online education will continue as it was during the pandemic imposed lockdown.

The AAP government on Wednesday lifted the ban on construction and demolition activities in view of an improvement in the air quality and inconvenience caused to workers.

Delhi's air quality is back to 'very poor' category, with he hourly air quality index (AQI) reading at 7am 350, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

On Tuesday, the average 24-hour AQI was 290, which was in the "poor" category.

The CPCB classifies an AQI of zero to 50 as "good", 51-100 as "satisfactory", 101-200 as "moderate", 201-300 as "poor", 301-400 as "very poor" and above 401 as "severe".