The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) and the education department on Monday approached Centre for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for reopening of schools and colleges from Friday.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that the education department proposed immediate reopening of colleges and schools for Class 6 onwards and Classes for primary section to Class 5 from December 20.
All schools and other educational institutions have been closed since November 15 due to deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR. They were briefly re-opened on November 29 but were shut again on the orders of the Supreme Court.
As the Supreme Court has allowed the air quality commission to consider applications for easing the restrictions imposed to deal with air pollution, Rai said that the ban on entry of trucks carrying non-essentials, except compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric trucks, will continue.
Anurag Kundu, Chairperson, DCPCR, wrote to Dr M M Kitty, Chairman, CAQM on the opening of schools. In his letter Kundu mentioned that the schools were closed on account of poor air quality to protect children from severe conditions. However, there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that schools’ closure would achieve the stated goal.