Delhi Schools Launch Year-Long Air Pollution Awareness Campaign For Students

The Delhi government has directed all schools in the national capital to organise year-long awareness activities to educate students about the causes of air pollution and its impact on health and the environment. The initiative aims to promote environmentally responsible behaviour among students and support efforts to improve Delhi's air quality.

According to PTI, the Directorate of Education has asked schools to begin the activities from July under the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Action Plan. Schools will organise poster-making, slogan-writing, essay and speech competitions, quizzes, street plays and other awareness programmes on major sources of pollution, including vehicular emissions, road dust, construction dust and waste burning.

Most activities will involve students of Classes 6 to 12, while some programmes will be conducted for students across all classes.

The action plan includes a month-wise schedule for awareness campaigns. Activities on vehicular emissions will be conducted every month from July. Campaigns on road dust will run from July to September, construction dust from September to November, municipal solid waste and stubble burning during November and December, industrial emissions in January, thermal power plants in February, and diesel generator sets in March.

The Education Department has also instructed Heads of Schools (HoS) to spread awareness about the ban on sharp manjha used during kite flying.

The IEC Action Plan has been prepared in line with the framework of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and directions issued by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

Schools have also been directed to submit monthly Action Taken Reports (ATRs), along with photographs of the activities, to the Science Branch by the 25th of the month mentioned in the action plan. District Education Officers (DEOs) will monitor the implementation of the campaign in schools under their jurisdiction.