As the air quality in the national capital continued to deteriorate, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday decided to suspend physical classes and hold classes online till November 22, citing severe pollution and hazardous AQI levels in Delhi and the NCR. In Haryana, the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram, announced that, as per directives from the Director of Secondary Education Haryana and after assessing the Air Quality Index (AQI) situation, all physical classes up to the 12th standard in Gurugram district will remain suspended from November 19 to November 23, 2024, or until further notice.
The development comes as the air quality deteriorated in several cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, and parts of northern India, reaching severe levels and raising concerns about health risks.
In the meantime, the Supreme Court on Monday directed Delhi and NCR states to strictly implement GRAP Stage IV anti-pollution measures, as the AQI remains in the "severe" category.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih also instructed Delhi-NCR states to immediately form teams to monitor compliance with actions required under the plan.
The court further ordered the continuation of GRAP Stage IV measures even if the AQI falls below 450 and directed all NCR states and the central government to file compliance affidavits.
This decision followed a sharp rise in Delhi's daily average AQI to 441 by 4 pm on Sunday, escalating further to 457 by 7 pm, prompting an emergency meeting of the GRAP Sub-Committee.
GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) is a set of anti-air pollution measures implemented in the national capital and its surrounding areas based on the severity of the situation. Restrictions under GRAP Stages III and IV are enforced when air quality becomes severe.
(With Inputs From ANI)
