The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has reportedly proposed the shutting down of schools in the city, in the wake of the increasing pollution in the city over the last 24 hours.
According to an NDTV report, this was said by Ashish Khetan, AAP member, and vice-chairman of Delhi Dialogue Commission, the AAP government’s advisory body. Since Tuesday, pollution has jumped northwards by 500 units. This is the maximum that can be recorded by the scales of Pollution Control Board.
However, an opposing view has come from the Delhi pollution board, whose chairman Ashwini Kumar argues that if pollution levels are high in the city, then children are no safer being at home. Kumar called the government’s reaction a ‘keen-jerk’ response, NDTV reported.
Meanwhile, the government has reached out to citizens in Delhi to seek ideas for improving the air quality. The Delhi Dialogue Commission and the University of Chicago have launched a joint venture and a competition which solicits solutions from citizens to improve air quality. The winner with the best idea will get a prize money of Rs. 2 crore.