Air quality worsens in Haryana, DCs to take call on suspending primary classes
As the air quality in the state continues to be a matter of concern, the state government has asked the Deputy Commissioners to assess the prevailing situation and to take a call on the discontinuation of physical classes for students up to fifth standard.
In a letter to Deputy Commissioners, the Directorate of School Education has stated that the government has decided that the Deputy Commissioners concerned shall assess the prevailing situation as per the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and in view of the severe AQI levels in Delhi and surrounding regions....they may discontinue physical classes and issue necessary directions for holding online classes for up to Class 5 in the schools (government and private) in the interest of the health and safety of the students. The assessment for rural and urban areas of the districts concerned may be carried out separately.
8 cities in 'very poor' category
On Saturday, the air quality in eight cities -- Jind, Bahadurgarh, Bhiwani, Gurugram, Kaithal, Panipat, Rohtak and Sonepat -- was "very poor". With the average particulate matter 2.5 at 394, Jind was the second most polluted city after Delhi (417)
In 11 other cities -- Ballabgarh, Manesar, Dharuhera, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Faridabad, Charkhi Dadri, Palwal, Ambala and Mandikhera -- the air quality was on the poor side
On Saturday, the air quality in eight cities -- Jind, Bahadurgarh, Bhiwani, Gurugram, Kaithal, Panipat, Rohtak and Sonepat -- was "very poor" while in 11 other cities, it was on the poor side, as per the air quality index (AQI), which is the average of past 24 hours. With the average particulate matter 2.5 at 394, Jind was the second most polluted city in the country after Delhi (417).
As per the evening bulletin of the Central Pollution Control Board, Jind registered an AQI of 394, Bahadurgarh 388, Panipat 350, Rohtak 339, Bhiwani 325, Sonepat 325, Gurugram 320 and Kaithal 318 to remain among the cities with "very poor’ air quality. Ballabgarh (288), Manesar (276), Dharuhera (276), Karnal (276), Kurukshetra (263), Yamunanagar (256), Faridabad (255), Charkhi Dadri (253), Palwal (249), Ambala (238) and Mandikhera (215) were among the cities where the air quality was on the poor side.
Meanwhile, with 25 fresh cases of stubble burning reported on Saturday, the number of farm fires have jumped to 1,080 in this season. Of 25 fresh cases, maximum 11 were reported from Jind, followed by six from Sirsa, two each from Kaithal, Fatehabad and Sonepat, one each from Hisar and Karnal.
An official from the pollution control board said the meteorological conditions, temperature and wind speed, besides the local factors and sporadic incidents of farm fires, were the contributing factors in the present situation.
Dr Dipti Grover, Assistant Professor, Institute of Environmental Studies, Kurukshetra University, said: “The current air quality and weather conditions in Haryana are raising significant environmental concerns. With the onset of winter, the air quality in these areas has deteriorated, largely due to seasonal stubble burning, increased vehicular emissions and industrial pollutants. The AQI in several parts of Haryana has consistently been in the “very poor” category, posing health risks, especially to vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. Citizens are also advised to limit outdoor activities.”
“The prevailing weather conditions, including lower temperatures and calm winds, have further aggravated the situation by trapping pollutants near the surface, leading to the formation of smog. Visibility in the morning hours has reduced significantly, impacting daily activities and transportation. The reason for persisting situation is weak western disturbance moving towards the mountains may cause easterly winds leading to partly cloudy conditions and light smog intermittently," she added.
