New Delhi: The Delhi government on Sunday extended the ban on the entry of trucks carrying non-essential items into the national capital along with work from home for its employees till November 26 in view of the air pollution situation in the National Capital Region.
Meanwhile, a senior official said that the ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi has been lifted, news agency PTI reported.
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"Keeping in view the very poor air quality forecast and that vehicular pollution would cause extensive air pollution and release harmful air pollutants, particularly when the air quality is very poor, it is felt that there is a need for further extension of the curbs on vehicular movement in Delhi," an order issued by the environment department read.
"Stop entry of trucks in Delhi except the trucks carrying essential commodities till November 26, subject to further review for an extension of this date," it added.
About the extension of work from home for government employees, the order stated: "All offices of GNCT of Delhi/autonomous bodies/corporations shall remain closed till November 26 except those involved in essential and emergency services.... However, all the officers/officials shall work from home".
Earlier in the day, the Directorate of Education (DoE) announced that schools in Delhi will remain closed for physical classes till further orders while online classes and board exams will continue.
"The environment department has directed to close all the schools with immediate effect till further orders of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas. Therefore, all government and private schools will remain closed till further orders," Additional Director of Education Rita Sharma said.
"However, online teaching-learning activities and the examinations for board classes would be conducted as per guidelines issued earlier," the official added.
The air quality remained very poor on Sunday morning, PTI reported authorities as saying. The city recorded its air quality index (AQI) at 382 at 9 am. The 24-hour average AQI was 374 on Saturday.
The Delhi government had on November 13 announced the closure of schools and other educational institutions in view of the deteriorating air quality in the national capital.
The order came weeks after schools had reopened for all classes from November 1, after nearly 19 months of closure due to COVID-19.
Besides the ban on entry of trucks carrying non-essential items into the city, construction and demolition activities in the city were also prohibited as the national capital grappled with worrying air quality.
(With Agency Inputs)