Delhi govt to distribute 50 lakh pollution masks among school students

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that fifty lakh N95 masks would be given to students in both government and private schools in Delhi.

The Delhi government will start distributing masks among school students from Friday following a spike in the pollution level, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.

People wearing pollution masks to protect against air pollution as heavy smog descends on the national capital, a day after Diwali. (Biplov Bhuyan/HT PHOTO)

Fifty lakh N95 masks would be given to students in both government and private schools in Delhi, Kejriwal said on Wednesday.

A kit of mask having two pieces of N95, one of the good quality masks for tackling smog, will be given to students. Masks will be distributed for one week. “I will also distribute masks among students on Friday. We are getting delivery of masks,” he said.

The chief minister said the main reason behind the spike in pollution was stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Kejriwal urged the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to take steps to prevent stubble burning in their states.