Delhi pollution: The AAP-led Delhi government has decided to instruct government offices to operate from home (WFH) at 100% capacity for a week. Owing to the alarming situation of the air pollution in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had called an emergency meeting on Saturday.
The government has also decided to close all the schools for a week and to continue virtually so that children don't have to breathe polluted air, Kejriwal said. All construction activities will also not to be allowed (between November 14-17).
The chief minister, after an emergency meeting, told reporters that his government will also present a proposal for lockdown before the Supreme Court.
Kejriwal said that pollution level is rising in Delhi due to stubble burning in neighbouring states and called upon all stakeholders to work together to combat it. "This is not the time to point finger. The Delhi government only wants to provide relief to Delhiites and children from emergency-like situation and ensure they breath fresh air," he said. The chief minister said all the stakeholders should work together to combat the problem of air pollution in Delhi.
In a tweet later, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, "All schools, colleges and educational institutes in Delhi to remain shut next week as pollution levels hit emergency level." He said the Delhi government is not imposing lockdown but it will submit a proposal in the Supreme Court after taking the central government into confidence and consulting all central agencies as it will be an extreme step.
Terming the rise in air pollution in Delhi-NCR an "emergency" situation, the Supreme Court on Saturday suggested clamping a lockdown in the national capital as it asked the Centre and the Delhi government to take immediate measures to improve the air quality.
The court said the situation of pollution is so bad that people are wearing masks inside their houses.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said there are other reasons for pollution such as vehicular emissions, firecrackers and dust, and singling out stubble burning is not the solution.
The apex court also expressed concern that schools in the national capital have opened and children are being exposed to severe pollution conditions.
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