Overview
- Responding to the Supreme Court’s request, the Commission for Air Quality Management directed that all school physical sports competitions scheduled in November and December be postponed across the NCR.
- The CAQM wrote to Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to take immediate steps and convened a meeting with the Education Ministry, Sports Authority of India and state pollution boards to coordinate measures.
- In a separate case, the Delhi High Court issued notice on a plea by 11 students, sought a status report from the Delhi government, and asked the Directorate of Education and the School Games Federation of India how next year’s calendar can avoid high-pollution months.
- Petitioners argue that holding events during severe AQI forces a choice between health and education, with parents reporting cough, wheeze and headaches in children after competitions and studies linking bad-air days to spikes in pediatric emergency visits.
- The Supreme Court also asked NCR states to take instructions on paying subsistence allowances to workers affected by GRAP restrictions and to inform the court at the next hearing.