Delhi schools preparing students to deal with alarming air-pollution level
What's the story
Shifting the morning assembly of students indoors, mandating them to wear masks during outdoor activities, and distributing gooseberries are among the measures taken by the schools in Delhi and adjoining areas to deal with the alarming level of air pollution. With Delhi's air quality expected to deteriorate further after Diwali, several schools have started taking precautionary measures. Here's more.
Precautions
Schools are using air purifiers for students' good health
"We have quality filters in place because of which all our classrooms receive treated fresh air throughout the working hours and a professional team is monitoring this," said Deepa Kumar, principal, Heritage Xperiential Learning School, Gurugram. "We are also closely monitoring and recording PM2.5 (particulate matter) levels, with checks being conducted every few hours. This information helps guide our outdoor activities," she said.
Parents' role
Educating parents, students on limited exposure to toxic air
The air quality in Delhi, which has been oscillating between 'very poor' and 'severe' for nearly three weeks now, improved to 'poor' today. Ashok Pandey, principal, Ahlcon International School in Mayur Vihar, said, "We have shifted the venue of morning assembly indoors and advised parents to send their wards wearing masks so whenever they are outdoors they have limited exposure to toxic air."
DoE
Delhi's Directorate of Education is yet to issue an advisory
Amid a rise in health-related problems due to air-pollution, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan Thursday launched a manual on asthma detailing how school administrations must behave in case of an emergency. Delhi's Directorate of Education (DoE) is yet to issue an advisory in this regard. "We are waiting for a direction from Graded Response Action Plan," Sanjay Goel, DoE Director, said.