NEW DELHI
With the “severe” air pollution in the national capital becoming a cause for concern for the Delhi government, the Delhi government has been forced to announce an early “winter vacation” in schools. The pollution level has been in the “severe stage” throughout the week. The increase in AQI has given the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ammunition to target the Aam Adami Party (AAP)-led Delhi government as the AAP government being blamed for failing to control air pollution.
Citing the alarming pollution in the national capital, the Delhi government has announced an early “winter vacation’ in all schools. The Delhi government on Wednesday rescheduled the December winter vacation of all schools and said it will be from 9-18 November as the air pollution in the national capital continues to remain in the “severe” category. Previously, due to the deteriorating air quality, holidays were given from 3 November to 10 November.
A notice from the Delhi Educational Directorate states: “In the wake of the implementation of GRAP-IV measures due to severe air quality prevailing in Delhi and seeing that no respite from such adverse weather conditions in the near future as predicted by the IMO, the winter break for the session 2023–24 is ordered to be preponed so that schools can be totally closed and both children and teachers can stay at home.” It further states: “Accordingly, all schools shall observe Winter Break from November 9, 2023 (tomorrow) to November 18, 2023 (Saturday).”
The AQI of Delhi and its adjacent region has remained in a “severe stage” throughout the week, with the smoke of stubble burning in the neighbouring states like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh contributing more than 1/3 of the pollution in Delhi.Meanwhile, the BJP slammed the Delhi government and accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the current alarming pollution in Delhi. While addressing the press, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said: “Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is a visionless CM who does not have any concrete action plan on pollution and has ignored the actions of both the states of Delhi and Punjab on pollution.” Sachdeva added that people in Delhi thought that Kejriwal (the Chief Minister) would speak consciously about pollution, but he (Kejriwal) did not say a single word. Sachdeva said, “It is regrettable to say that Delhi has elected a Chief Minister who is busy with political tourism and is not at all concerned with the development and situation of Delhi.”On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party accused the Haryana government of being the “biggest culprit” behind pollution in Delhi. However, the Supreme Court observed that there cannot be a “political battle” over the pollution issue all the time.
Amid a spike in pollution levels in Delhi-NCR, the apex court on Tuesday directed Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to ensure crop residue burning was stopped “forthwith”, saying it cannot let “people die” due to pollution.