The odd-even rule will probably be again in Delhi the day after Diwali and faculties closures has been prolonged as much as Class 11 for this week in view of the rising air pollution ranges, State Setting Minister Gopal Rai mentioned at present.
All faculties will probably be shut throughout the nationwide capital besides Courses 10 and 12 until November 10, the minister mentioned. At present, solely lessons as much as Class 5 are suspended in view of the deteriorating air high quality.
Delhi stays wrapped in a thick blanket of poisonous smog for almost every week now, prompting authorities to cease entry of diesel vehicles and ban development actions within the metropolis underneath Stage-4 of the Graded Response Motion Plan (GRAP).
The ban on BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel automobiles may even proceed, mentioned Mr Rai, elaborating different measures taken by his authorities, together with banning crackers and putting in smog weapons.
The odd-even rule, which has been the Arvind Kejriwal authorities’s flagship transfer in preventing air pollution for the previous few years, will now be again for every week on November 13, the day after Diwali.
Underneath this rule, solely automobiles with registration numbers ending with an odd digit will probably be allowed on Delhi roads on odd-number days and people with even digits will probably be allowed on even-number days.
The necessity to lengthen the odd-even rule past November 20 will reviewed later, the minister mentioned.
The general air high quality index (AQI) was recorded at 488 this morning in Delhi, a lot above the higher degree set by the World Well being Organisation. Among the worst-affected areas included RK Puram (466), ITO (402), Patparganj (471), and New Moti Bagh (488).
With the AQI hovering round 500, the standard of the air that persons are inhaling Delhi and neighbouring cities is equal to smoking 25-30 cigarettes a day.