Delhi chokes as air quality remains in 'severe plus' category amid curb on several daily activities

The Air Quality Index (AQI) was 494 at 6 am, as it was recorded by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) data.

Like previous days, several trains and flights have been delayed or cancelled due to the reduced visibility in the city.

Private airline IndiGo posted on X, "Foggy weather in Delhi, Amritsar & Chandigarh is affecting travel conditions, including slow-moving traffic and possible changes to flight operations. Please plan accordingly and stay updated on the flight status for a smooth journey."

The construction works as well as entry of trucks barring the ones carrying essential items have been stopped.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has announced all schools and colleges will remain shut and classes will be held online. Earlier, Classes 10 and 12 were exempted from the shifting to online mode.

The Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University have also shifted to online mode of education till November 22.

In Haryana's Gurugram, the office of the deputy commissioner said "...all classes upto 12th standard will remain discontinued from 19.11.2024 till Saturday, 23.11.2024 or further orders, whichever is earlier, in all areas (urban as well as rural) of District Gurugram".

"Online classes will be conducted in lieu of physical classes, in all Government & Private Schools in the district... Strict compliance of the orders is to be ensured positively," it said.

Later, the Ghaziabad district magistrate in Uttar Pradesh also followed the suit.

Pulling up the authorities, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to not drop the current restrictions.

The top court said as quoted by NDTV, "We are making it very clear that you will not go below Stage 4 without our permission now even if AQI goes below 300, that is the order we are proposing."

The court has slammed the authorities over their delay in placing restrictions to combat the pollution.

One user posted on X this morning, " Breathing in Delhi today feels like trying to find WiFi in a desert—rare and difficult to find!"

Blaming the Centre for the pollution, Atishi told India Today, "I would like to ask the BJP-led central government why it doesn't take any action against stubble burning that is causing the pollution."

"Earlier, Punjab was being blamed for stubble burning. Now Punjab became the only state to reduce stubble burning by 85 percent after AAP came to power."

"It's a national problem. In fact, it's a national emergency. The entire North India is suffering from this national medical emergency. I would ask the BJP government at the Centre what step it has taken in the last five years to reduce stubble burning," the Chief Minister fumed.

BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya passed the blame on the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government for the suffering the residents of the national capital have been experiencing for the last years during this time.

"The Kejriwal government first gave one freebie on every bottle of liquor, then gave free dirty water and now even cigarette smoke is free. People of Delhi are paying the price of all these things with their lives. They just don't know this," Malviya posted on X.