Is it time for the Arvind Kejriwal government to consider annual smog holidays for Delhi schools? At least 55 per cent people agree with this idea in a survey and they have their reasons to do so.
In May 2014, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that Delhi had the worst air quality in the world. The WHO had released its report on the basis of its study of air quality, between 2008 and 2013, of about 1600 cities across 91 countries.
Delhi's air has only worsened since then. During 2015-16 winters, when the odd-even scheme for vehicles was introduced in Delhi to ease pressure on city's air, the 
Arvind Kejriwal government had ordered the schools to remain shut for December 25, 2015 - January 15, 2016 due to "bad weather".
In November 2016, the Arvind Kejriwal government ordered closure of schools for three days as smog levels spiked in Delhi. In the first week of the month, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said that Delhi witnessed worst smog in 17 years.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) data showed that the levels of PM2.5 increased by 62.7 per cent on November 2 as compared to that even on Diwali (October 30).
This year is only worse. The mean AQI in Delhi on November 9 showed 486 and 468, 403, 460 and 460 for next four days, according to the Central Pollution Control Board, which has set AQI of 500 as the upper limit of measurement. In many areas, the AQI reading meter stuck at 499 as the pollution level went beyond.
SMOG LEAVES PARENTS WORRIED
With this in background, 55 per cent of Delhi people have demanded in an online survey, conducted by citizen engagement platform LocalCircles, that the Arvind Kejriwal government should declare smog holidays for schools every year in November.
About 55 per cent of over 6,500 voters - mostly parents - in the survey said that Delhi schools should be shut down every year between November 1 and 20 due to annual spike in smog during this period.
The parents are worried about the health of their children going to school passing through the traffic maze breathing the toxic smog of Delhi. Their worries are not unfounded. India Today reported a study saying that the ongoing spell of smog has caused respiratory problems for half of Delhi's college going students.
The study was conducted by Fortis Healthcare, which surveyed 1,044 college students aged 18-24. The younger school going children are more vulnerable to polluted air.
DELHI KIDS VERSUS REST
According to a study conducted by the scientists from Kolkata-based Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) said that the Delhi kids are more vulnerable to respiratory diseases and disorders due to bad air quality than those living in areas having purer air.
The CNCI study included a survey of 11,628 school-going children, aged 4-17, from 36 Delhi schools for their respiratory health status and degree of lung function impairment, and compared 4,536 children chosen from 15 schools of rural West Bengal and 2 schools from Uttarakhand.
The Delhi school kids were 1.8 times more prone to respiratory diseases like sinusitis, running or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat and common cold with fever. The CNCI study found that 43.5 per cent school children in Delhi showed reduced lung function compared to 25.7 per cent in children from other areas.
They were found to be twice more vulnerable to the rest for frequent dry cough, sputum-producing cough, wheezing breath, breathlessness on exertion, chest pain or tightness and disturbed sleep due to breathing problems. These are serious health problems for kids.
CURRENT DELHI SMOG CONDITION
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the mean AQI in Delhi was 361 yesterday. This falls in the 'very poor' category. It showed a dip as compared to Tuesday's AQI of 308, which was the best in a week.
Mean PM2.5 and PM10 concentration in Delhi was recorded as 198 and 307 microgrammes per cubic metre yesterday at 7 PM. The 24-hour safe standards are 60 for PM and 100 for PM10. Air pollution is considered 'severe plus' or emergency when PM2.5 is recorded above 300 and PM10 over 500.
Even though the spell of smog in Delhi weakened over past two days, it continued to be in 'severe plus' or emergency zone till yesterday. The "air emergency" was lifted today. The SAFAR (System of Air Quality And Weather Forecasting And Research) - government's air quality monitoring agency - has said that strong surface winds in Delhi have helped pumping out accumulated pollutants.
There are strong chances, according to SAFAR, that air quality in Delhi may dip again. However, it may come down from 'severe plus' to near ceiling in the 'very poor' zone on the Air Quality Index (AQI) by the weekend. The change in meteorological conditions due to fall in temperature and increase in moisture is likely to keep air toxic in Delhi.
