Odd-even formula: Delhi may shut schools

New Delhi, Dec 11: The Delhi government may declare holidays for schools from the January 1 when the 15-day traffic regulation to curb rising air pollution gets rolling in the capital.

"We received a proposal yesterday (Thursday) for holidays in schools. We are considering it. If needed, holidays could be declared," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said here on Friday.

Sisodia, who is also the education minister, said the government was concerned over the rising air pollution which affects the children the most.

"Children have been the most affected by the pollution and we are concerned about them. There are 26 lakh children studying in Delhi schools," the minister said.

Earlier on Thursday, the city government announced that it would run 6,000 more buses to shore up the public transport which may creak under the strain from January 1 to 15 when the number of private vehicles on the roads will drastically fall.

Of the 6,000, 2,000 will be school buses.

To battle pollution, the Delhi government has decided that private vehicles with odd and even registration numbers will ply on odd and even dates respectively from January 1.

It also said the restrictions will apply between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. while all private vehicles would ply on Sunday.

IANS