Delhi air pollution: Environment Minister Gopal Rai to chair meeting on revoking curbs; decision on school reopening likely
Delhi air pollution: With Delhi's air quality touching an alarming level on Monday morning as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city stood at 326, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will be chairing a high-level meeting to discuss new directions by the Centre's air quality panel about revoking curbs imposed under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan, officials said.
At the meeting, a decision on reopening primary schools and revocation of order asking 50 per cent of the government staff to work from home is also likely to come up.
On Sunday, the Centre's air quality committee directed the authorities to lift the ban on plying of 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. Amid increasing Delhi's air pollution, the restrictions were imposed three days ago.
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Notably, the decision regarding revoking the order of work from home and reopening primary schools has to be taken by the Delhi Government led by Arvind Kejriwal.
On the other hand, Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital Delhi on Monday morning came down and stopped at a 'very poor' category, after continuing to slide from the 'severe' category, which was recorded for three straight days last week, said the forecast system SAFAR.
Even though the air quality in Delhi continued to slide for the second consecutive day from the 'upper end of very poor' to the 'very poor' category, still, it is touching an alarming level on Monday morning as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city stood at 326.
Air Quality Index from 0 to 100 is considered as good, while from 100 to 200 it is moderate, from 200 to 300 it is poor, and from 300 to 400 it is said to be very poor and from 400 to 500 or above it is considered as severe.
According to the data released by the "Air Quality Early Warning System Delhi", the quality of air is to further deteriorate in Delhi in the coming days.
"The air quality is likely to deteriorate but remain in the very poor category from November 8 to November 9," it said in a press release, adding that the forecast for the subsequent six days is likely to remain largely in the very Poor category.
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- PTC NEWS
