Haryana asks DCs to make decision about closing schools in NCR districts

In view of increasing air pollution in 14 districts of Haryana, all government and private schools may soon be closed. The Directorate of School Education has issued letters to all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) in the National Capital Region (NCR).

These letters include directions to the DCs to make a decision about whether or not schools in the region will remain open or will be shut for a duration of time, keeping in mind the Air Quality Index (AQI) in their respective districts. Earlier, the Delhi government announced that schools would be closed in the capital due to severe levels of pollution. Following this announcement, the Deputy Commissioners of NCR have begun brainstorming over the closing of private and government schools.

At present, the situation in the NCR is severe, particularly in Gurugram and Faridabad. The third stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (or GRAP) has been implemented in both Haryana cities. Section 144 has also been imposed to prevent the burning of garbage in Gurugram. The Delhi-NCR includes 14 districts of Haryana. These include Karnal, Jind, Panipat, Sonipat, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Rewari, Mahendragarh, Nuhan, and Palwal. The government has given the DCs of all these districts the freedom to make decisions regarding the functioning of schools.

If a DC decides to close schools in their district, then they will also have to decide in which area the schools will remain closed. In this regard, different decisions may be taken on closing schools in rural and urban areas. There is more pollution in urban areas. Because of this, a decision regarding the schools there can be taken soon. If schools are closed then students’ education will not be affected. Their studies will be continued over online classes.