Delhi Pollution: Parents demand holidays for schools in November

The pollution problem in Delhi has been so severe that parents have started asking for holidays in schools to save their children's health. The Indian Meteorological Department issued its Red alert after the pollution matrix reached 400 in many areas of Delhi and Noida. The city's Air Quality Index recorded 296 on Saturday, for which doctors say breathing poisonous air is particularly hazardous for children.

Parents' Concerns and Demands

Aprajita, the president of the Parents' Association, has demanded that schools must be closed for at least five to six days during November and December, the peak months of pollution when the toxic air prevails. Parents are reluctant to send their children to school as they fear their kids will be exposed to hazardous pollution for a long time.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi declares November 7 as a government holiday for Chhath Puja. The school's official official confirmation hasn't come, but most schools already cancelled any kind of outdoor activities and assembly scheduled in school.

Potential Solutions

Revised vacations and also 'pollution breaks' could be another option while dealing with constant school closures in terms of pollution. For declaring the holidays, some believe in holding offline classes to finish the syllabus.

To mitigate the negative impacts of pollution, offices in Delhi are now calling for work-from-home opportunities, realizing that adults and children are both equally battered.

Also read: November 7: Holiday for schools, colleges in these states!