‘Putting them in gas chambers’: SC seeks delay of NCR school sports

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (November 19) urged the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) to direct school authorities in the Delhi-National Capital Region to defer sports competitions scheduled to be held in November-December to months when the air quality improves.

The directions were issued by a bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran after questions were raised regarding the timing of the sports events for school students when Delhi’s air quality has turned into the dangerous category.

During the hearing, senior advocate Aparajita Singh, the amicus curiae in the matter, conveyed to the court that several schools in the Delhi NCR are going to hold sports competitions in November amid severe air pollution. She said that holding the completion at such a time was tantamount to putting the children in gas chambers.

"Children are most vulnerable, holding sports now is like putting them in gas chambers," said Singh as quoted by Live Law.

Similar petition in Delhi HC

The bench then directed the CAQM to consider issuing schools to defer the sports events to safer months. The bench was also told that a petition seeking the same relief will come up before the Delhi High Court on Wednesday afternoon.

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The bench said that the Delhi High Court may pass directions in this regard as deemed fit.

The development comes a day after hundreds of Delhiites, including students from JNU, Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia, staged a protest at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday, demanding immediate action to improve the national capital's air quality.

Protest on severe air pollution

On Tuesday, the city woke up to another day of toxic haze, recording an overall AQI of 344, while four monitoring stations reported pollution levels in the “severe” category, according to CPCB data.

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Protesters wore industrial-grade respiratory masks as symbolic props and held placards, including ones that read, “Delhi ICU mein hai, Govt kahan hai?” Several demonstrators said the deteriorating air had severely impacted day-to-day life in northern India.

“The quality of life is finished in northern India… We are getting health issues due to bad air, and our children are suffering. What will we do with a five-trillion-dollar economy if citizens live in such an environment?” a protestor asked.

Govt accused of inaction

Another demonstrator, Shahid, criticised the BJP-ruled Delhi government for “not tackling real issues”.

“Blaming previous governments cannot go on. The government ordered air purifiers for its offices so that leaders can breathe clean air. But what about common people?” he said.

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A DU student, Anjali, said they had organised a similar protest at India Gate on November 10, during which around 15 women were detained and allegedly dropped off in Bawana late at night.

“We will not make peace with the situation. Clean air is our fundamental right,” she said.

‘Delhi govt manipulating AQI data’

She alleged the Delhi government was “manipulating AQI data”, wasting public funds on cloud-seeding despite scientific objections, and “taking no steps to curb the causes of pollution”.

Holding a poster that read, “Plants are giving us oxygen, but are we inhaling poison?” a boy said his throat had been hurting due to the rising pollution.

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“Pollution should be stopped. The situation is very poor,” he added.

On November 9, scores of people, including parents and environmental activists, staged a protest at the India Gate against the worsening air quality in the national capital. Later, some protestors were also detained by the Delhi Police, citing the absence of permission for the protest.

(With agency inputs)