NEW DELHI: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), on Wednesday, asked the state governments in the NCR to postpone outdoor school sports events scheduled for November and December due to deteriorating air quality.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court had asked the CAQM to consider directing schools in Delhi-NCR to postpone open air sports competitions planned in November and December to ‘safer months’ keeping in mind air pollution levels. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran said the issue of severe air pollution crisis in Delhi-National Capital Region needed a pro-active approach and the top court should hear the case to monitor the development on a monthly basis.
The direction was passed after senior advocate Aprajita Singh, who is assisting the bench as an amicus curiae, said when elders are sitting in closed spaces with air purifiers on, the kids are training for sports and games competitions in an open “gas chamber.”
“We request CAQM to take this into consideration and issue necessary directions to shift such sport competition to safer months,” the CJI said.
At the outset, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said that a high level meeting was chaired by the secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change along with senior officers of Delhi-NCR states on Tuesday and long term and short term measures to tackle air pollution were discussed.
The CAQM said that it held a meeting with officials from stakeholders and took the decision.