One day after the Delhi government suspended physical education classes in capital schools due to increasing pollution levels, the Supreme Court clarified on Friday that it did not ask the government to close schools. While continuing to hear the case, the Chief Justice of India said that it only asked about the reasons behind the change in the government’s position. On Thursday, the Supreme Court gave the Delhi government a 24-hour deadline to take specific measures to deal with pollution. As the government listed its decisions, including the suspension of physical education classes, the Supreme Court approved the Delhi government’s hospital construction project. Students work at home while resuming physical education for school children, exposing them to the threat of dangerous pollution.
As the Delhi government notified the court on Thursday that schooling is voluntary and online courses are also in progress, the court observed that if there is a choice, people will send their children to school. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced that physical education classes will be suspended indefinitely from Friday until further notice. The minister also stated that according to the pollution situation in the capital at that time, physical education classes will resume on November 29. On Friday, Abhishek Singhvi, an advocate representing the Delhi government, submitted a statement to the court that the school had been closed. He also added that the physical education class only lasted 17 days in November.
CJI stated that some media sections view the Supreme Court as a villain. “We have observed that, not knowing whether it was intentional or unintentional, some media tried to project us as villains, and we wanted to close the school. You said that we were closing the school and introduced working from home. Read the newspaper today!” CJI said.
In addition to CJI’s comments, Singhvi also said that a newspaper reported on the hearing as if it were conducted in an administrative struggle.
The Supreme Court was informed that the Air Quality Management Committee has established an enforcement task force to monitor compliance with pollution directives. The committee informed the court that it had formed 17 flying teams, took punitive actions against violators, and would increase the number to 40 in the next 24 hours.
News Source : Hindustan Times
