Delhi pollution: Government eases restrictions, primary schools to reopen

New Delhi: With the Air Quality Index improved in relative terms, the Delhi government on Monday lifted various bans, imposed earlier, including the ban on the entry of trucks into the national capital.
In view of the Central government's panel Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to revoke the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage 4, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced that the ban on entry of trucks into Delhi has been lifted, which means that there is no ban on entry of trucks and non-BS 6 diesel light motor vehicles are allowed. Addressing a press conference on Monday, Gopal Rai said that the ban on entry of trucks into the national capital would be partially lifted and directions for work from home and for government offices have been amended.
Last week, the Aam Aadmi Party announced a mandatory 50% work-from-home for government offices, and a similar advisory was issued for private offices, which has been revoked now.
The primary schools will be reopened from Wednesday, which was shut down as the Air Quality in Delhi went from bad to worse. Curbs on outdoor activities for secondary school students will also be lifted from Wednesday.
Curbs on BS III petrol vehicles and BS IV diesel vehicles will still continue in Delhi. Gopal Rai said the ban was imposed under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP); and that it won't be lifted yet.
"However, the ban on private demolition and construction work will continue," Gopal Rai said in the briefing.
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.
The National Capital Region (NCR) also continued to witness bad air as Noida, which is part of the national capital region, recorded an AQI of 356, in the 'very poor' category, while Gurugram's AQI stood at 364 and continued to remain in the 'very poor category, as per data released by SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research) India.
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 remains 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. (ANI)