Delhi Shuts Primary Schools Due To Severe Pollution

Primary schools in India’s capital, Delhi, will stay shut until November 10 due to elevated pollution levels, according to a statement by Delhi’s Education Minister, Atishi Marlena, on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). For students in grades 6-12, the option of transitioning to online classes is being offered.

Delhi currently holds the unenviable position of being the world’s most polluted city, according to a real-time ranking by Swiss group IQAir. On Sunday, the city’s air quality index (AQI) reached 471, categorizing it as “hazardous.” Lahore, Pakistan, followed with a “very unhealthy” AQI of 261.

Read more : New Delhi Tops List As Worlds Most Polluted City

The noxious air had such a severe impact that it led Sri Lanka to cancel a training session due to the pollution. The team was preparing for a World Cup match against Bangladesh, which is scheduled to take place in the highly polluted Indian capital on Monday.

To provide context, an AQI of 0-50 is considered good, while a range of 400-500 has adverse effects on the health of the general population and is particularly dangerous for individuals with preexisting medical conditions.