Air pollution: Delhi schools closed from Friday till further notice, says Gopal Rai

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Owing to the rising levels of air pollution in Delhi, Gopal Rai on Thursday announced that all schools will remain closed till further notice. However, board exams will continue as scheduled and teaching-learning activities will be conducted online. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said physical classes in Delhi schools will be suspended from Friday till further orders.

The decision came after the Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up the Delhi government for resuming physical classes in schools amid a rise in the air pollution levels in the city.

"We had reopened schools considering the forecast that air quality would improve. However, the air pollution levels have increased again and we have decided to shut schools from Friday till further orders," Rai said.

Education Minister Manish Sisodia said, "All board exams will be conducted as per schedule".

After remaining shut since November 13, physical classes in schools, colleges and other educational institutions had resumed from Monday. 

The Supreme Court on Thursday came down hard on the Delhi government over its 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign to curb vehicular pollution, saying it was nothing but a popular slogan.

A special bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said the Aam Aadmi Party government had made various assurances such as work from home, lockdown, and closure of schools and colleges in the previous hearings. However, despite these assurances, the children were are going to school while elders are working from home.

Taking the Centre, Delhi government to task, the Supreme Court gave both and neighboring states a 24-hour ultimatum to act against industrial and vehicular pollution, assumed as the main causes behind the deteriorating air quality.

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