New Delhi: As Delhi grapples with a thick and choking haze, the Delhi government has asked the schools in the city to cancel all outdoor activities and sports events for the next couple of months. Education Minister Ashish Sood, on Friday, announced that a notice had been sent to every school in the national capital asking them to cancel all outdoor activities and sports events for the next one to two months. He explained that the decision followed a recent Supreme Court observation that matters of air pollution must be listed monthly, and a specific order urging that outdoor play for small children be avoided as a precautionary measure. 

The Delhi minister added that a major sports ‘Mahakumbh’ that was due to be staged in Delhi had also been postponed until further notice, because the new guidelines left no room for large gatherings in the open air . The Supreme Court’s concern was also supported by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for the National Capital Region (NCR). 

Earlier this week, the CAQM called a consultative meeting that brought together officials from the Department of School Education and Literacy, the Ministry of Education, state governments of the NCR, the Sports Authority of India, and representatives of pollution control boards. The purpose was to review the current air‑quality trends and discuss ways to protect children’s health during the winter months, when the smog tends to settle over the city. After the discussion, the CAQM wrote to the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, asking them to act to postpone any physical sports events in the affected areas .

In Delhi, the air‑quality data paints a concerning picture as the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that at 8 am on Friday, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi stood at 370, still in the ‘very poor’ band. By 9 am, Noida’s Sector 116 recorded an AQI of 427 and Sector 125 reached 438, both in the ‘severe’ range. While other hotspots such as Anand Vihar (418), Ashok Vihar (411), Rohini (424) and RK Puram (401) also slipped into the severe category, while areas like IGI Airport (307), ITO (378) and Punjabi Bagh (379) remained very poor. 

Further, even iconic sites like India Gate, Akshardham and Kartavya Path were shrouded in a dense, grey smog that reduced visibility and made the air feel heavy to breathe.

Now, after the new notice issued by the Delhi government to the schools, the sports days will be rearranged, and the usual buzz of school competitions will be replaced by indoor lessons and virtual assemblies. One teacher, who asked not to be named, said the children were disappointed but understood the seriousness of the situation when they saw the hazy sky and heard the coughs of their classmates. The Delhi government has promised to keep the situation under review and to issue new instructions as soon as the air improves.

In the meantime, the health officials have urged residents, especially the elderly, those with respiratory problems, and school children, to limit their time outdoors, keep windows closed where possible, and use air purifiers if they have them. The CAQM’s advisory also reminded that the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage III restrictions, which include curbs on construction and heavy vehicle traffic, are still in force and will continue until the pollution levels drop to a safer level.