A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke, private classrooms set up air filters, Pg3

Key Highlights:

• Delhi government will install air purifiers in 10,000 classrooms in the first phase, with plans to extend to all government schools.
• There are 38,000 classrooms in Delhi government schools.
• Delhi has 5,556 recognised schools with over 46.29 lakh students, with 48.25% being government or government-aided schools.
• The Bhalswa landfill is targeted for complete remediation by September 2026.
• Use of recycled construction and demolition material has been made mandatory in construction works.

Detailed Insights:

• Private schools in Delhi are closely monitoring air quality, including PM2.5 and CO2 levels, using air quality monitors and "YOGa Clean Air Bubbles".
• The Delhi government aims to combat pollution through long-term administrative measures, contrasting previous administrations' "PR exercises" like the Odd-Even scheme.
• Measures include mandatory use of recycled construction material, remediation of the Bhalswa landfill, and commissioning of biogas plants for dairy waste disposal.
• The government has cleared a Rs 45-crore electric vehicle (EV) subsidy and is addressing bottlenecks in projects like Metro Phase IV and the RRTS to strengthen public transport.
• A CAG report cited by the Delhi government indicated that 30% of Air Quality Index monitoring stations were deliberately installed in green areas in 2017-18 to conceal actual pollution levels.

Key Concepts Involved:

• PM2.5: Fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, a major air pollutant.
• Air Quality Index (AQI): An index for reporting daily air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is.
• Odd-Even Scheme: A traffic rationing measure restricting vehicle usage based on registration number to reduce pollution.