With the air quality in the nation's capital entering "Severe" category, the government and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next two days, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the central government's pollution control panel issued directions to ban non-essential construction work and the entry of diesel trucks in Delhi-NCR.
Amid this, hospitals in Delhi have been reporting a rise in cases of prolonged coughing, throat infection, eye irritation and nasal discharge.
The pollution levels are only "expected to increase further" owing to unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions, the Commission for Air Quality Management said.
In light of the rising pollution levels, all govt and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next 2 days
The Commission for Air Quality Management is a statutory body responsible for developing strategies to combat pollution in the region.
Scientists have also warned of a spike in the pollution levels in Delhi-NCR in the next two weeks, due to a surge in farm fires and unfavourable weather conditions.
The Graded Response Action Plan categorises air quality into four stages— Stage I–'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II–'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III–'Severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV–'Severe Plus' (AQI >450).
On Thursday, at 5 p.m., Delhi's AQI stood at 402. And, Stage III of the GRAP involves a complete halt on construction and demolition work except for essential government projects, mining and stone crushing.
“We are getting more OPD and IPD patients for respiratory illnesses. We have seen a 25% to 30% rise in such illnesses in the last four-five days,” Dr Sumit Ray, medical superintendent at the Holy Family Hospital, told PTI.
Every year, these illnesses spring up around this time and worsen around Diwali and after the festivities, Ray said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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