Noida schools stop outdoor activities due to deteriorating air quality

Noida: Schools across the city have suspended outdoor activities, such as morning meetings and outdoor sports, for students as air quality in the region continues to deteriorate.
The students returned to school on Monday after the Diwali break with an AQI of 319 (very poor). While air quality saw a slight improvement on Tuesday, with the AQI falling to the ‘poor’ category at 265, experts predict that air quality is likely to deteriorate to the ‘severe’ category in the coming days.
“When schools reopened after the Diwali holidays, students started coming back from Monday. However, the air quality index (AQI) recorded on Monday hovered around 319, under the ‘very poor’ category. So all kinds of physical and outdoor activities were suspended until the weather conditions improve,” said the principal of a private school in Sector 71.
To give students a much-needed break during the school day, many schools now dedicate play periods to indoor classes, auditoriums and library areas. School principals and parents alike note that this has become an unfortunate “post-Diwali ritual,” with children forced indoors every year due to the hazardous air.
“It is difficult for teachers to prohibit students from playing outside. Children wait for their play period – a break from the monotony of the classrooms. However, in recent years, post-Diwali it has become a ritual that for children’s benefits and health reasons We have to stop outdoor activities. Instead, the library rooms are now being converted into playrooms and indoor activities are being promoted,” said Supriti Chauhan, director of DPS, Noida in Sector 132.
Parents echoed these concerns and urged the government to take action against the pollution.
“The government must take measures to reduce the pollution level as it not only has physical consequences but also affects the mental health of students as they are deprived of play time and daily exercise. Children are full of energy and only indoor activities are not the best for them, it is time that outdoor play keeps them happy and healthy, but pollution does not allow that. My son stays irritated all the time and doesn’t want to study if he doesn’t get time to play football on the ground But in such a scenario we can’t help!” said Smriti Srivastava, whose son studies in the primary section of a private school in the city.
“Nowadays, online classes are not even a solution as it distracts students’ attention and screen time is also not healthy for their eyes. That’s why we are trying to find an alternative, maybe a change in school timings. Since the school opened from Monday morning meeting will be held in the auditorium,” said Asha Prabhakar, principal of Bal Bharti School in the city.
Some schools in the city have also reportedly started sprinkling water on campus. “Even though there is no official advice yet, let us not make the increasing pollution even worse. Every morning we sprinkle water on the premises and around the campus,” said Chauhan.