Noida Schools Cancel Outdoor Play as Post-Diwali Smog Hits 'Very Poor' Levels: Kids Stuck Indoors Again!

The schools in Noida have cancelled outdoor activities due to the hazardous air that hit the city after the Diwali celebrations when the air quality dipped into the "very poor" category.

All outdoor activities, from sports to morning assemblies, have been suspended to restrict the exposure of students to bad air. With an Air Quality Index that hit 319 on Monday and fears that it is not going to get much better in coming days, parents and teachers call on the government to correct its approach to air pollution as it affects children yearly.

A Shift Indoors: Schools Respond to Air Quality Concerns

In return for the Diwali holidays, students came to school on Monday to realize outdoor play was out. Due to high levels of PM2.5 pollutants in the air, several schools have rescheduled all activities to indoor halls like auditoriums, libraries, and classrooms. According to the principal of a private school in Sector 71, these steps will be taken until air quality improves. "Physical activities and outdoor games have been suspended as the air quality index is currently in the 'very poor' category," he said. "We keep a close eye on the air quality and hope to carry out outdoor activities when the AQI is favorable," [he said].

A 'Post-Diwali Ritual': The Annual Challenge of Air Pollution

For educators and parents alike, these changes have formed an unfortunate "post-Diwali ritual" for the deterioration of air quality around this time of year. Schools have been able to adapt, using, for example, the once-serene library as a sort of playroom for at least some semblance of activity time. Supriti Chauhan, principal of DPS Noida in Sector 132, said this was one of the difficulties that children had to be indoors: "It's really hard to restrict children from outdoor games as they really look forward to their play periods. However, because of health reasons, we've had to keep them indoors every year after Diwali. We're trying to make some indoor alternatives that are interesting, but it cannot be replaced by outdoor time.

Parents in Noida are becoming vocal demanding that something be done about the pollution so rife it impacts the lives of their children from day to day and routine. Smriti Srivastava, whose son is in junior school says, "The government must take stronger steps to curb pollution. It impacts both physical and mental health, as children lose precious playtime and exercise. My son, for instance, gets frustrated and has difficulty concentrating without his usual football practice."

Some parents are even considering a change in the timing of their children's school or some other adjustment to keep them safe. Bal Bharti School principal Asha Prabhakar says that the assemblies have now been shifted inside the auditorium. "We hope that long-term solutions will be in place."

Schools Take Extra Measures Against Dust and Pollution

In the absence of official advisory, schools are not sitting idle to check on-campus dust either. Several schools in the morning started sprinkling water on playgrounds and campus surroundings to reduce the amount of dust and, therefore, the further proliferation of particles in the air. "We sprinkle water every day to check on dust formation on school campuses," Chauhan said. Tiny as these efforts seem, they are designed to limit exposure to pollutants until proper measures are adopted.

A Call for Deeper Solutions

For the residents of Noida, an indoor season spells bigger remembrances of more diversified measures of pollution control. As the skies turn gray and worse every year, students lose their time outside to play, impacting their bodies and minds with the deplorable air. Parents and school officials are alike in demanding a solution to eliminate the sources of pollution that have taken to forcing annual restrictions on indoor lives.

By addressing these problems through year-round policies, clean technology investments, and sustainability, Noida—and the larger Delhi-NCR region—can look forward to a future where children can enjoy the fruits of outdoor activities without worrying about the air they breathe.

Also read: Delhi Chokes Again: NCR Tops India's Most Polluted Cities List in October 2024