Delhi Schools to Reopen Today, SC to Hear Plea on Pollution

Schools reopened in Delhi for all classes today after having shut down for two weeks due to the poor air pollution levels in the city. Although schools have reopened today, Delhi’s air quality is in the “very poor” category today, as per SAFAR.

The Supreme Court will be hearing a plea today pertaining to high levels of air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will also hold a high-level meeting to review the air pollution situation in the capital with senior officials of the departments, reported PTI.

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Meanwhile, there has been mixed reactions from several schools and parents’ bodies. While some had said it is necessary to make up for the learning loss, others termed it a “hasty decision”. The Delhi Parents Association had said that the city’s air quality as well as the COVID-19 pandemic remain causes of concern and can severely affect children’s lungs.

As many as 140 parents in Delhi wrote to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal seeking reopening of schools and his intervention on the same. “After 20 months of closure, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority authorised the reopening of schools for all classes in Delhi at 50 per cent capacity, effective November 1. This coincided with the annual pollution cycle.,” the letter read.

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“Unfortunately, our children’s education was the first victim of the pollution response and school closures were announced on November 13 for one week. This has now been extended until further orders. While recognising the enormity of the pollution crisis and the risk it poses to our children’s health, we strongly urge the Delhi government to reconsider this decision and reopen schools,” the letter added.

Schools had reopened in the capital after nearly 19 months of closure on September 1 for classes 9 to 12 and for the remaining classes from November 1, however, had to be shut down from November 15, after pollution dipped to “severe” category post-Diwali.

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