Enforce apex court order barring outdoor school activities, govts told

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has written to the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, directing them to strictly enforce the Supreme Court’s order and its own directions to postpone outdoor school sports activities during November and December due to poor air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR).

In a letter issued on December 13, the CAQM referred to the Supreme Court’s order of November 19, 2025, passed in the MC Mehta vs Union of India case, and the commission’s subsequent communication issued on the same day.

These directions required the postponement of physical sports competitions during periods of adverse air quality under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The CAQM said it had noted that despite these instructions, some schools and institutions in Delhi-NCR were continuing to conduct outdoor physical sports activities.

“It is apprehended that despite the aforesaid instructions issued by the commission and the prevailing air quality scenarios, outdoor physical sports activities and competitions are still being conducted by some schools/institutions in Delhi-NCR,” the commission said.

The commission warned that allowing outdoor sports during such periods poses health risks for children. It said continuation of these activities was contrary to the intent of the Supreme Court’s observations and the directions issued by the CAQM.

The CAQM has directed NCR state governments and the Delhi Government to ensure immediate compliance with its November 19 letter, issue instructions to all schools, educational institutions, sports bodies and local authorities to discontinue outdoor physical activities, and sensitise schools and parents.

It also asked authorities to monitor compliance at the field level and take action in case of violations.