‘World’s second longest school closure in Delhi’, now the patience of the parents has started to answer

New Delhi
The demand for reopening of schools closed due to air pollution in the capital is gaining momentum. As directed by the Supreme Court, the decision will be taken by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The Delhi government has sent its recommendations to the commission. On the other hand, Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) chairperson Anurag Kundu has also written a letter to CAQM chairman MM Kutty. Kundu says that the schools are closed since November 29 due to pollution. Schools have been closed for about 600 days. He cited a study to say that keeping schools closed did not help in protecting children from pollution. At the same time, a letter has also been sent to CAQM on behalf of the parents. It said that Delhi is now just behind Uganda in terms of keeping the schools closed for the longest time in the world.

What did DCPCR request?
In his letter, Kundu has cited a study by the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago. He writes, ‘Schools were closed citing poor air quality to save children from serious conditions. However, there is no evidence that school closures achieved this goal. A two-year study by the Energy Policy Institute shows that the level of indoor pollution in Delhi is also worrying and has exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) limits. Since there is no significant difference between indoor and outdoor pollution, closing the school is pointless.

Schools and colleges will be opened in Delhi immediately?

‘World’s second longest school closure in Delhi’
A lawyer by profession, Tanya Agarwal’s child studies in class 1. He said, ‘Schools should be closed last and played first. According to UNESCO data, after Uganda, Delhi has the record of opening the most number of days in the world. He said, “We understand the menace of pollution and the health hazards that it poses to our children, yet we will ask CAQM and Delhi government to allow schools to open in hybrid mode.”

Parents had also demanded to open the school
The DCPCR chairman said that while closing the school, it was assumed that all households have air purifiers. Kundu said, ‘Except one section of Delhi, this is not the case with everyone. Since most of the households do not have air purifiers, the school closure policy is of no use. Earlier, 500 families had written to Kundu seeking his intervention. In a letter to Kutty, Kund has described how the closure of the school has resulted in loss of education which can have long term impact on children, the country’s economy and human development.