New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday demanded shutting of all schools in the national capital due to the deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR. The air here and the National Capital Region is "severe" with the air quality index (AQI) registering 478 at 9 am on Friday as per IMD. "Chief Minister (Arvind) Kejriwal should not play with the health of children and close down the schools of Delhi immediately," said BJP President Adesh Gupta while addressing a press conference at the state party headquarters here. He warned if the Delhi Government refused to listen to BJP's demand, the party will come out on the streets to protest. Gupta alleged that the health of the people of Delhi is deteriorating due to the Kejriwal government's failure to control pollution. Calling Kejriwal a "part time chief minister', the BJP president said that he should tell the public what he has done so far for controlling the pollution in the national capital. Gupta has already written to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena about the worsening air quality in the national capital and demanded closure of the schools. The BJP chief, in his letter, said that there is growing concern about the health of children as the city continues to breathe toxic air. According to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the AQI on Friday continued to remain in the “severe” category. As per the agency, the share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution jumped to 3-4 per cent on the day. According to SAFAR, in adjoining Noida in Uttar Pradesh, which is part of the national capital region, the AQI recorded was 562 on the day, while in Haryana Gurugram's AQI stood at 539. All in the severe category. In view of the deteriorating air quality in the National Capital Region, schools in Noida and Greater Noida have shifted to online classes as a precautionary measure. According to an official order, all schools in Noida and Greater Noida were asked to hold classes online for students up to Class 8 till Tuesday, due to rising pollution in the NCR. (Agencies)
