Arpan Rai | Posted by Sonalee Borgohain
New Delhi, November 8, 2017 | UPDATED 06:29 IST
Schools have been asked to suspend morning assembly and bring other outdoor activities like PT classes to a halt until the situation improves.
School children cover their noses as air pollution reached hazardous levels in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)Discouraging exposure of children to the poisonous air, the Delhi government ordered all schools upto Class 5 to be shut down on Wednesday after the Capital woke up to a thick blanket of smog.
Schools have been asked to suspend morning assembly and bring other outdoor activities like PT classes to a halt until the situation improves. "The situation of smog and pollution level will be under scrutiny from Wednesday morning and if the bad air quality persists, we will most likely extend the shutdown of schools on Thursday," said deputy CM Manish Sisodia.
Citing kids' safety amid worsening air quality, schools across city issued advisories and took precautionary steps, asking parents to inform teachers if their ward is suffering from any breathing ailment.
"No child should be rhythmically breathing in this air. We have asked parents to inform us if their child needs extra attention. We have also asked children to use light cotton mask when moving outdoors," said Priyanka Mehta, principal of Amity International School, Mayur Vihar.
Modern School, Barakhamba Road also ceased all sports practices on Tuesday evening in the school premises. The school has further decided to conduct the practices for its upcoming founder's day within the auditorium.
The drastic measures have trickled down to schools in NCR likes Gurgaon and Faridabad as Ram Bilash Sharma, education minister of Haryana, directed all private and government school for changing their timetable. "We have directed all private and government schools to change the timing till November 30. The new school timing will be 9 am to 3.30 pm and it is imposed with immediate effect," Sharma said.
At present, schools in Gurugram and Faridabad are operating from 8 am to 1.30 pm.
Timings at Shiv Nadar School in Gurgaon have been delayed and now as per the Haryana government circular, the timings are 9 am to 3.30 pm. In a circular issued by school, it has been made mandatory for students of all classes attending school to wear masks
The decision came after Delhi reeled under high level of pollution PM10 and air pollution level inched close to "severe" category.
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