India: Schools closed in UP's Noida until Nov 10 due to poor air quality

Schools in Uttar Pradesh's Noida (Gautam Buddha Nagar) have been closed until November 10 given the poor air quality in the city, authorities announced on Tuesday (Nov 7). GB Nagar's District Magistrate (DM) Manish Kumar Verma said that all schools have been directed to follow the implementation of the Graded Responses Action Plan Stage 4 order by discontinuing physical classes from pre-school to Class 9 until November 10.

Lessons should be conducted in online mode, Verma added. This order comes days after all primary schools in New Delhi were ordered to remain shut till November 10 as the air quality in India's national capital has been deteriorating.

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In a post on X last Sunday, Delhi's Education Minister Atishi said, "As pollution levels continue to remain high, primary schools in Delhi will stay closed till November 10. For grades 6-12, schools are being given the option of shifting to online classes."

On Tuesday, Delhi's air quality was in the "very poor" category.

The Delhi government was recently rapped by the Supreme Court for the increasing pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR). The court asked if the government could bring back its odd-even rule which restricts the use of vehicles based on the last digit of the number plate.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Tuesday that the apex court's order would be first studied by his government and then the odd-even rule would be finalised.

"...instead of announcing the odd-even rules, we will go through the order/observations of the Supreme Court. After studying them, we will incorporate them into the scheme," Rai told a governmental meeting.