Air emergency: Central health advisory for city schools, students call for use of public transport, bicycles

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

air emergency in the national capital, the Union Health Ministry on Friday issued an advisory for children in Delhi and neighbouring states amid mounting pollution concerns and toxic air days that have emerged as a clear and present danger to public health.

However, in a measure of respite from the smog or toxic cloud that has been hanging heavy over the national capital in the last week and more, the city on Friday received showers that saw the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) drop below 400.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) pegged the city's overall AQI at 398 at 10.30 am on Friday.

The central health advisory on Friday laid particular emphasis on children, as it advised school authorities, heads, teachers as well as parents to develop mechanisms to create awareness and motivate students to adopt better practices to mitigate and adapt to air pollution.
The ministry said schools should organise awareness events and award children for taking up mitigation practices to fight air pollution.

«Areas: Cities and urban areas are more likely to have outside pollution levels.

Season/days: colder winter seasons/days in cities/urban; Diwali/dust storm, Timings: Morning and evening hours if SMOG is prevailing and sunlight is not visible. Sites for precautions: transit from home to school, near school gates, and outdooring.