Pollution forces Har govt to shut schools in Gurugram & Faridabad; other districts too alerted

The Haryana government on Sunday ordered the closure of all schools in Gurgaon and Faridabad districts on November 4 and 5 amid the smog enveloping major parts of the national capital region. The schools in Gurgaon and Faridabad districts will stay shut on November 4 and 5 owing to the air pollution in the two districts, a state government spokesperson said.

The timing for the schools in Sirsa districts too have been changed and they would hold classes between 10 am and 3 pm till November 6, he said. The state government has also asked deputy commissioners of other districts in the NCR region to keep monitoring the pollution level in their respective areas and "take appropriate calls" on closing schools for students up to class 12 or change their school timing in the interest of children's health, the spokesperson added.

The state government issued the directive amid a blanket of smog engulfing several districts of an agrarian Haryana, partly due to stubble burning by its own farmers as well as those in Punjab. Various districts of the state have reported air quality index in the "severe" and "very poor" category.

In view of the present condition of air pollution in Delhi and NCR and keeping in view the direction of the Central Pollution Control Board, the Haryana government has directed all deputy commissioners, district education officers, and district, elementary education officers, to ensure the compliance of the directions in letter and spirit, he said. The spokesman said special emphasis has been given to protect the children from pollution.

Officials sources said schools in some other pollution-hit districts including Fatehabad would remain closed on Monday and Tuesday.

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