For Ggn’s schoolchildren, safety first
GURUGRAM: Taking cognisance of the deteriorating air quality, educational institutions in Gurugram have begun to taking precautions to safeguard the health of their students.
To begin with, most schools have delayed their starting hours as the levels of pollutants are considered to be peak in the morning hours. Strict guidelines have been passed in most city schools to prevent any outdoor activities for children.
Some schools have also taken initiatives to organise travel camps for primary section students, wherein they will be taken to areas of Uttarakhand where air quality is better than in other parts of north India. There are also plans to extend the Diwali break by a week, as air quality is expected to further deteriorate in this period.
It may be noted that with PM2.5 level as high as 400 µg/m³, Gurugram’s air quality has been ‘severe’ the past three days.
Owing to meteorological factors, the concentration of poisonous substances in the air is highest in the morning, when most children leave for their schools.
Besides hazardous levels of pollution, the thick layer of smog also enveloped the city, which has reduced visibility and is causing further problems for school children.
What makes matters worse for parents in Gurugram is that many children go to school in Delhi. Long distance travel and longer exposure to the environment makes children extremely vulnerable to pollutants.
While parents admit that it is a challenge for them to send their kids to Delhi, they have very limited options.
Meanwhile, to spread awareness about the seriousness of situation in the city, people from many residential societies have begun a campaign to urge the Haryana government to take radical measures to curb the toxicity in Gurugram’s air. Many of these programmes have also seen large-scaled participation of children.