Delhi schools halt outdoor sports due to air pollution
With the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 400 in several parts of the capital, the Delhi government has ordered the suspension of outdoor sports activities in schools until December. Various measures have been in place since mid-October due to worsening pollution, a problem that resurfaces in the autumn.
New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Delhi government has ordered all schools in the national capital to suspend outdoor sports activities until December due to worsening air quality, which exposes students to serious health risks.
The decision comes after India's Supreme Court on Wednesday urged the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider moving school sports activities to "safer and less susceptible months.”
The air quality panel issued a directive calling for the suspension of all outdoor sports activities in the capital area.
According to data from the Sameer app, which collects measurements from the Central Pollution Control Board, yesterday the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeded 400 at 11 of the capital's 39 monitoring stations, a level considered dangerous even for healthy individuals.
Delhi’s average, however, stood at 364, a level that corresponds to the "very poor" category.
Emergency levels are triggered when the indicator exceeds 450. Around this level, however, breathing difficulties, irritation, and inflammation can occur even in people without previous health conditions.
The deterioration in air quality is typical of autumn in Delhi due to the lack of rain. Since mid-October, however, the AQI levels have led to the activation of emergency measures, part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Recently, a ban on non-essential construction, a halt to mining and dusty construction sites, new restrictions on the movement of the most polluting vehicles, and the suspension of in-person classes have been implemented.
On Monday, the Supreme Court refused to make the GRAP restrictions permanent, stating that Delhi “cannot be brought to a standstill” in the name of fighting pollution.
However, the court asked authorities to intensify monitoring and adopt more effective measures to prevent further deterioration of air quality.
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31/03/2021 10:32
18/07/2025 16:42
