NewDelhi: In the face of the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, the Delhi government has issued circular advising schools to ensure that no outdoor activities are organised till severe pollution condition persists. It further asked the schools to sensitise parents of the students about the worrisome air quality situation prevailing in and across Delhi and appeal them to restrain their children from undertaking outdoor activities.
“The present air quality condition in Delhi is a cause of concern for all. To ensure that students studying in schools of Delhi are not adversely affected due to the current air quality, all the heads of government, government-aided and unaided recognised schools under Directorate of Education are hereby directed to sensitise the parents of the students about the worrisome air quality situation prevailing in and across Delhi and further appeal them to restrain their children from undertaking outdoor activities till severe pollution condition persists,” read the circular by the Directorate of Education.
“Outdoor activities and exposure in the polluted atmosphere could have `long term detrimental effects on the health of children`. Therefore, parents may be requested to adopt a preventive approach to safeguard their child`s health including using the masks,” it added.
“All the heads of the government, government-aided and unaided recognised schools under Directorate of Education shall also ensure that no outdoor activities are organized in schools till severe pollution condition persists,” it concluded.
Some schools in Noida have also introduced this step. The Billabong High International School in Noida’s Sector 34 has informed the parents of the students that due to immense smog and unfavourable weather conditions, all the outdoor activities have been cancelled. “Due to immense smog and unfavourable weather conditions, all the outdoor activities stand cancelled. We shall resume all outdoor and sports activities once the weather is clear and the air quality is better,” said a statement from the school.
Delhi and its adjoining areas such as Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad have witnessed a spike in air pollution post-Diwali.
On Thursday morning, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was docking at 427 in the national capital, which falls in the severe category, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). The AQI was spiked from that on Wednesday.
The AQI was recorded the highest in Dhirpur and Delhi University (DU) at 464, followed by Airport (T3) at 450, Mathura Road at 436, Lodhi Road at 422, Pusa at 401, Chandni Chowk at 397, IIT Delhi at 395, and Ayanagar at 386. The AQI in Noida stood at 523 and at Gurugram at 388.
Bureau Report
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