Delhi Air Pollution: Supreme Court asks CAQM to pass directions to postpone school sports activities

Delhi air pollution

Amid the plummeting air quality in Delhi consistently getting recorded at hazardous levels, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider issuing directions in the Delhi-National Capital Region to postpone the sports activities.

The apex court urged the CAQM to ensure that the sports and game competitions scheduled in November-December in Delhi-NCR are postponed to safer months after improvements in the air quality.

The Court noted that allowing sports competitions in schools during peak pollution levels in Delhi-NCR will put the kids to risk.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was hearing the matter and issued the direction as concerns were raised about the holding of sports competitions in the region amid worsening air quality.

The amicus curiae in the matter Senior Advocate Aparajita Singh told the bench that several schools are slated to conduct sports meet in November amid the air pollution in the NCR, reported LiveLaw.

"Children are most vulnerable, holding sports now is like putting them in gas chambers," she submitted.

The directions came in the ongoing MC Mehta case where the the SC is considering the air pollution issue in the Delhi-NCR region.

The SC will be hearing the case in monthly basis, reported CNN-News18.

The bench asked the CAQM to consider passing directions to reschedule the sports activities to the months which will be comparatively safer.

The SC was also informed that a petition seeking the same relief is was listed to heard in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday afternoon and that the HC may pass such directions accordingly.

Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi stayed in the 'very poor' category for the sixth consecutive day on Wednesday, with an AQI reading of 391.

Data on the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) Sameer app also showed that 18 of the 38 stations recorded Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in the 'severe' category Chandni Chowk, DTU, Bawana, Anand Vihar, Mundka, Narela and Wazirpur were among those stations which recorded a reading above 400.

As per the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe'

With inputs from LiveLaw and PTI