India: Closure of All Primary Schools in New Delhi Due to Air Pollution
The Indian capital, New Delhi, announced on Thursday that all primary schools will remain closed until further notice due to escalating air pollution impacting the city of over 30 million residents. “In light of rising pollution levels, all primary schools in New Delhi will transition to remote learning until further notice,” local Chief Minister Atishi stated on social media.
Schools are often closed during the worst weeks of the annual smog crisis, which also leads to numerous other disruptions throughout the city. This smog—a mixture of fog and pollutant emissions aggravated by low-quality diesel fumes, seasonal agricultural burning, and winter temperature fluctuations—contributes to thousands of premature deaths each year.
New Delhi and its metropolitan area consistently rank among the highest in global air pollution levels during the winter months. Cooler temperatures and stagnant winds exacerbate the problem by trapping harmful pollutants from mid-October through at least January. Last month, the Supreme Court, the country’s highest judicial authority, affirmed clean air as a fundamental human right and mandated the government to take action.
