New Delhi: No outdoor activities in schools

New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi government on Wednesday directed all schools in the national capital to suspend outdoor activities till severe pollution condition persists.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also said the government may consider shutting the schools if the situation worsens. "Outdoor activities and exposure in the polluted atmosphere could have long term detrimental effects on health of children. All heads of government, as well as private schools, are directed to ensure no outdoor activities are organised in schools till severe pollution condition persists," the Directorate of Education (DoE) said in a letter to schools.

Advising parents to send their children for classes wearing masks and shifting outdoor activities indoors are among the steps taken by schools in Delhi-NCR to deal with pollution as the air quality continues to be in the 'severe' category. While schools reopened on Wednesday after the Diwali break, a Gurgaon school principal said they had sent an advisory to parents on Monday to not send their children for classes without masks.

"When I woke up on Monday morning, I just knew that this is not going to be normal soon. We sent advisories to parents to mandatorily send their wards with masks," said Nidhi Kapoor, Principal, Euro International School in Gurgaon. According to a representative at St Mark's Senior Secondary School, Janakpuri, "We have shifted the venue of morning assembly indoors and advised parents to send their wards wearing masks so whenever they are outdoors they have limited exposure to toxic air." "Children with special needs and students with medical or respiratory issues are allowed to be on excused leave. Sports, PE and team practices are being conducted considering the potential hazards of outdoor activities and the surrounding environment. Appropriate precautions are taken as per the established safety protocol. Parents are periodically being informed about the cancelation of team practices in the morning or the afternoon sports," said Neena Kaul, Principal, Heritage Xperiential Learning School.