A three-day holiday has been declared for all educational institutions, including professional colleges, in eight local bodies in and around Ernakulam city due to the situation at the Brahmapuram waste dump yard.
All educational institutions -- in the panchayats of Vadavucode-Puthecruz, Kizhakkambalam and Kunnathunadu, the municipalities of Thrikkakara, Maradu and Kalamassery and the Kochi Municipal Corporation -- will remain closed on Monday (13-03-2023), Tuesday and Wednesday.
However, SSLC, VHSE and HSE plus-one and plus-two examinations and those conducted by universities will go ahead as scheduled, said Ernakulam District Collector NSK Umesh in a press release on Sunday.
The holiday was declared considering the poor air quality in the regions as fumes from the plant, which was ravaged by a massive fire 12 days ago, continue to rise.
The holidays have been declared as a precautionary measure, the collector said. Besides schools (government/aided/unaided/CBSE/ICSE), Anganwadis, kindergartens and day care centes will also remain closed.
The Air Quality Index in Vyttila at 4 pm on Sunday was 176 for PM2.5 (particulate matter). According to the ministry of Environment, AQI between 101 and 200 is 'moderate' but is considered to cause 'breathing discomfort to people with lung and heart diseases and children and the elderly'.
