New Delhi Shuts Schools Amid Toxic Smog Crisis

NEW DELHI, – India’s capital, New Delhi, has switched to online classes for most students due to worsening smog, as toxic air quality reaches dangerous levels. The city recorded PM2.5 pollution levels 57 times above the World Health Organization’s recommended limit on Sunday evening, with the air still 39 times above the safety threshold on Monday morning.

The heavy smog, which blankets the city each year, is primarily caused by stubble burning by farmers in neighboring regions, along with factory emissions and traffic fumes. To reduce the crisis, city authorities have closed physical schools for all students except for those in Class 10 and 12, hoping to reduce traffic and air pollution. Restrictions have also been placed on diesel trucks and construction activities.

The government has advised vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and those with heart or lung problems, to stay indoors. Many residents cannot afford air purifiers and lack homes that can be sealed from the harmful air, which is blamed for thousands of premature deaths every year.

New Delhi consistently ranks as one of the world’s most polluted cities, especially during the winter months, when cooler temperatures and stagnant winds trap pollutants. The crisis has led to calls for more urgent action, with India’s Supreme Court declaring that clean air is a fundamental human right.