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In response to dangerously high pollution levels, the Delhi government has ordered the closure of all primary schools starting Friday, with classes shifting online until further notice. Chief Minister Atishi made the announcement on social media.
“Due to rising pollution levels, all primary schools in Delhi will shift to online classes until further notice,” announced local Chief Minister Atishi on the social media platform X.
Every winter, the megacity is engulfed in a thick smog of pollution, primarily caused by vehicle emissions and agricultural fires in neighboring states, where farmers burn crop stubble to prepare their fields.
Cold, dense air exacerbates the problem by trapping dust and pollutants, making the situation particularly challenging for residents.
On Friday morning, air pollution levels in Delhi remained in the “severe” category for the third consecutive day, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 444 recorded around 8 a.m. (GMT+5:30), according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The megacity is ranked as the second most polluted city in the world, after Lahore in Pakistan, according to the Swiss air quality monitoring company IQAir. The level of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Delhi is 80 times higher than the maximum level set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In 2023, Delhi was identified as the most polluted capital city in the world, with PM2.5 levels increasing from 89.1 to 92.7 micrograms per cubic meter between 2022 and 2023, according to an IQAir report published last March.
A study by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, published in August 2023, indicates that air pollution reduces the average life expectancy of an Indian by 5.3 years compared to what it would have been if the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³ was met.
Some regions, such as Delhi, are more severely affected, with a reduction in life expectancy of up to 11.9 years.
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