NEW DELHI: As toxic air engulfs Delhi NCR, school-going children are among the ones who face high health risks. The Supreme Court on Wednesday had asked the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider issuing directions to schools to postpone their sports events to later and safer months. While some school authorities have claimed that they have channelled students towards more indoor activities, some parents have stated that they have not.
Speaking to the newspaper, Dr Satvir Sharma, principal of Vidya Bal Bhawan Senior Secondary School, Mayur Vihar, said, “We have given more importance to indoor sports. For example, we have reintroduced carrom and chess for the kids as well as some other board games.” He pointed out that they have postponed outdoor sports events till January for now, subject to the wenther conditions then.
One of the parents of a student from DPS Dwarka said that the school in general does not conduct many sports activities, and thereby there’s not much being stated on indoor games as well. However, the parent said that despite the polluted conditions, the school organised a picnic for students to Gurgaon on Thursday. He said, “The school doesn’t involve parents in any decision-making process. It’s mostly a one-way traffic.”
According to Dr Datta V, Principal, Modern School Barakhamba, “All outdoor activities have been deferred indefinitely; even the School Games Federation of India is going to reschedule its events in Delhi.”
Paediatric pulmonologist Dr Ritika Goyal cautions that limiting children from outdoor games can affect them psychologically. However, she said that the toxic smog has a detrimental effect on a child’s overall well-being. Pointing out to the fact that very few schools have the infrastructure for indoor games, Ajay Veer Yadav, General Secretary, Government School Teachers’ Association, said, “This raises a question as to how sports activities for the children can be shifted from outdoor activities during the pollution season.”