At 423, Bahadurgarh has country’s worst air quality

With an air quality index (AQI) of 423, Bahadurgarh town of Haryana’s Jhajjar district recorded the worst air in the country on Wednesday.
It was followed by Hajipur in Bihar at 422 and Delhi at 419. AQI between 401 and 450 is considered severe.
As per the evening bulletin of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Gurugram (374), Sonepat (369), Charkhi Dadri (354), Narnaul (331), Manesar (318), Sirsa (318) and Rohtak (315) were in the ‘very poor’ category.
The air quality of Jind (299), Hisar (288), Ballabgarh (278), Dharuhera (272), Kaithal (272), Faridabad (259), Panipat (251), Kurukshetra (230) and Bhiwani (229) were in the ‘poor’ category.
Former education minister flays school closures
Meanwhile, former Haryana education minister Kanwar Pal, who lost the assembly elections from Jagadhari seat of Yamunanagar, questioned the state government’s decision of ordering school closures in wake of the deteriorating air quality, stating that the academic calendar already has several holidays.
“Shutdown of schools due to extreme cold or scorching heat is acceptable, but I think closures on such routine days is not right. The atmosphere in and out is the same. Mere closure of schools does not confine students to their homes as they mostly go out to play,” he told the media on Tuesday.
The BJP leader, who also held the environment portfolio during the second tenure of Manohar Lal Khattar government, said that the whole society needs to join hands with the government to tackle pollution.
Earlier this week, deputy commissioners of various Haryana districts suspended physical classes up to Class 5, and in some places till Class 12, in view of rising pollution levels.