More than 1,700 schools remain closed as pollution touches alarming levels

Residents of New Delhi and surrounding areas continued to complain of respiratory problems and burning eyes as the region remained covered in a shroud of smog yesterday, while experts ruled out any respite with the situation expected to continue for some more days.
The air quality continued to remain alarming because of calm winds.
The average level of particulate matter at 2.5 (PM 2.5) was above 400 micrograms per cubic metre or the “severe” category at all the pollution measuring centres including at Anand Vihar in east Delhi, Punjabi Bagh and Dwarka in the west, R K Puram in the south and Mandir Marg in central Delhia.
The maximum level - 500 micrograms per cubic metre - was at Anand Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Mandir Marg and R K Puram while it was marginally lower at 493 in Dwarka.
More than 1,700 schools remained closed yesterday.
“All schools run by the municipal corporations in Delhi will remain closed today due to the heavy smog and pollution,” counsellor Subhas Arya said.
“We will re-evaluate the situation on Sunday and decide whether the schools should reopen on Monday,” Arya said.
Several privately run schools in the city and surrounding region announced on Thursday that they were suspending classes or outdoor activities until the situation improved.
Mahesh Palawat of private weather forecaster Skymet said that entire Delhi-National Capital Region was engulfed in a thick layer of smog due to calm winds which stopped the pollutants from dispersing.
He said that the passing of ‘Western Disturbances’ over the Himalayas made the conditions the worst in north India including Delhi.
“Whenever western disturbance passes over the Himalayas, it increases the level of humidity which enhances the capacity of air to bear the pollutants for a long time. This results in a thick layer of smog over the cities,” Palawat said.
“The situation is expected to remain the same tomorrow and the day after. The smog will start dispersing after November 7 as dry north-westerly winds with speed 10-15 km/hr are expected to sweep through the region,” he said.
Palawat also said the burning of paddy stubble in Punjab and Haryana was responsible for the sad state of affair in Delhi.
People living in Delhi-NCR complained of respiratory problems and itching in the eyes due to smog all over the region.
“It was difficult for me to breath properly and my eyes were itching because of the high level of air pollution today. I did not go for a morning walk due to the smog,” Devi Das, a resident of R K Puram area, said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the national capital has become like a “gas chamber.”
“The pollution level has increased so much in Delhi that it has developed situations like a gas chamber,” Kejriwal told reporters.
He also said the Delhi government needs help from the central government in tackling pollution.
“I am going to meet the environment minister, we need intervention of central government,” Kejriwal said.
Lt Governor Najeeb Jung has called a meeting with Kejriwal to discuss the situation.
“The meeting will take stock of the immediate, short-term and long-term measures to combat growing air pollution in the city,” a statement said.