Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Friday said the state government has issued a notice to schools to suspend outdoor activities and sports events amid rising air pollution in the national capital.
Speaking to ANI, Sood said that the decision has been taken following concerns expressed by the Supreme Court. He further informed that the Delhi government has also postponed the Khel Mahakumbh. The Delhi Education Minister said, “Following the concern expressed by the Supreme Court and the order not to organize outdoor activities for small children for the next one-two months as a precautionary measure, the Delhi government has issued a notice. We were supposed to organize a huge Khel Mahakumbh in Delhi. Due to these guidelines, it has been postponed. Such activities will not be organized in Delhi until the new instructions are issued.”
Earlier, the Supreme Court had said that cases related to air pollution should be listed on a monthly basis. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and surrounding areas had earlier urged state governments and the Delhi government to postpone physical sports competitions scheduled in November and December, citing the current air quality trends.
In compliance with the Supreme Court’s observations, the CAQM convened a consultation meeting with representatives of the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, NCR State Governments, Sports Authority of India, and officials of State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). The meeting examined current air quality trends and discussed measures to protect the health of children during the winter months.
A statement from CAQM said, “In view of the observations of the Supreme Court, the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) convened a consultation meeting with representatives of the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education; NCR State Governments/GNCTD, Sports Authority of India and NCR State Pollution Control Board (SPCB)/DPCC, to examine the current air quality trends and particularly in November and December. “To discuss measures to protect the health of children during the winter months.”
Following the discussion, the CAQM has written to the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh requesting them to take immediate action to postpone physical sporting events in areas affected by poor air quality.
The air quality in Delhi is continuously deteriorating, while many parts of the National Capital Region, including Noida, remained wrapped in a blanket of toxic smog on Friday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality remained severe in many areas of Noida, with AQI 427 recorded in Noida Sector 116 and AQI 438 in Noida Sector 125 at 9 am. According to the data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 370 till 8 am.
The city recorded an AQI of 391 at 4 pm on November 20. Despite slight improvement, the city’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category. According to CPCB data, the AQI at IGI Airport T3 was recorded at 307, while at ITO it was 378. The air quality index in Punjabi Bagh stood at 379. Other areas, such as Najafgarh (350), North Campus DU (385), Aya Nagar (340), and CRRI Mathura Road (370) also had very poor air quality. However, the air quality remained in the ‘severe’ category in some parts of the national capital. Anand Vihar recorded AQI 418, while Ashok Vihar recorded 411. AQI 424 was recorded in Rohini and RK Puram.