Severe air pollution forced the Delhi government on Monday to suspend physical classes for younger students, directing schools to switch entirely to online mode for children from nursery to Class 5 until further orders.
In a circular issued by the Directorate of Education, the government said that in view of the persistently high Air Quality Index (AQI) levels, physical classes for students up to Class 5 in all government, government-aided and recognised private schools would remain discontinued. Schools have been instructed to conduct classes for these students only in online mode.
For students of higher classes, schools will continue with the hybrid mode of teaching, as per directions issued by the education department on December 13.
The move came as Delhi’s air quality plunged deeper into the hazardous “severe” category. On Monday morning, the city’s AQI touched 498 and remained alarmingly high at 427 by evening. A thick haze and sharply reduced visibility blanketed the capital, marking another grim day for residents.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 27 monitoring stations across Delhi recorded “severe” air quality levels, while 12 stations fell in the “very poor” category. Wazirpur reported the worst air quality among the 40 monitoring stations, with an AQI of 475. The CPCB caps AQI readings at 500, beyond which values are not recorded.
Under CPCB norms, an AQI between 401 and 500 is categorised as “severe”, posing serious health risks even to healthy individuals.
Data from the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi showed PM2.5 concentrations at 154.96 micrograms per cubic metre, nearly four times the national standard of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. PM10 levels were recorded at 260.9 micrograms per cubic metre. PM2.5 particles are particularly dangerous as they can penetrate deep into the lungs, while PM10 particles also pose respiratory risks, reported PTI.
The Decision Support System for Air Quality Management attributed pollution largely to transport emissions, which contributed 3.079 per cent, followed by construction activities at 1.732 per cent and stubble burning at 0.218 per cent.
The dense smog disrupted daily life across the city, with residents reporting breathing difficulties and hazardous commuting conditions. A Delhi resident said the worsening pollution had forced people to take precautions. “The pollution level is very high. I started wearing a mask a few days ago and even got my lungs tested. The government needs to focus on this,” the resident said.
Doctors advised people, especially children, the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, to minimise outdoor exposure. Dr Saurabh Mittal, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pulmonology at AIIMS, who spoke to news agency PTI, said that staying indoors was the safest option.
“Children should play inside, and people should wear N95 masks if going out is unavoidable. Those with medical conditions should take their medicines regularly, and elderly people should take vaccines recommended by their doctors to reduce the risk of lung infections,” he said.
Tourists visiting the capital also expressed concern over the air quality.
Delhi’s air quality had already deteriorated sharply a day earlier, with the AQI touching 461 on Sunday, making it the most polluted day of the winter so far and the second-worst December reading on record. At Wazirpur, the AQI reached the maximum possible value of 500 during the day as weak winds and low temperatures trapped pollutants close to the surface.
Forecasts suggest little immediate relief. The Air Quality Early Warning System has predicted “severe” air quality in the near term, with conditions likely to remain “very poor” over the next six days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said low wind speeds — below 10 kmph — were unfavourable for dispersing pollutants.
On Monday, the minimum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum at 23.7 degrees Celsius, with relative humidity at 76 per cent by evening. The IMD has forecast dense fog for Tuesday morning, with temperatures expected to hover between 10 and 23 degrees Celsius, raising further concerns over visibility and air quality.
Dense fog disrupted flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday, leading to the cancellation of 228 domestic flights, 131 departures and 97 arrivals, and the diversion of five others, airport officials said.
While Air India disclosed that it had cancelled around 40 flights in the morning, other airlines, including IndiGo, did not share airline-wise figures. IndiGo said low visibility had impacted operations across north India and that some flights could be delayed or proactively cancelled in the interest of safety.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said visibility fell below operational minima due to dense fog, severely affecting flight movements, and that ground staff were assisting passengers across terminals.
Delhi airport, the country’s busiest, handles around 1,300 flight movements daily, making winter fog disruptions particularly widespread.
(With inputs from PTI)