Parents fret over twin threats even as Delhi schools reopen

As pollution levels spiked in New Delhi this month, interior designer Sangeeta Chauhan sent her daughter out of the Indian capital and back to her boarding school in the neighbouring state of Rajasthan.

The 16-year-old was returning to school after 19 months as Covid-19 cases remained stable across India. There were 8,309 cases on Sunday, against 400,000 during the peak in April and May.

Ms Chauhan also took her 13-year-old son out of New Delhi twice in the past 11/2 months to escape pollution. It spikes at this time of the year due to conditions such as cold weather, which traps pollutants from sources including stubble burning.

Her son has weak lungs, while her daughter suffers from breathing problems during winter. "I had to send her (back to boarding school) because pollution in Delhi was so terrible... This time it was really bad," said Ms Chauhan, 50.

Though her daughter escaped the bad air, she fell ill with Covid-19 in school and was sent back home.

"I took her (to school) over a week after Diwali on Nov 14 and within a week she was back with Covid-19," said Ms Chauhan.

The girl will now continue her studies online at home. And the boy, whose school is reopening next week, will also stay home due to his lung issues.

Many parents are grappling with severe pollution and Covid-19. But unlike Ms Chauhan, many choose to send their children to school.

"Some 1,300 out of 1,400 parents of children at my son's school have said they will send them to classes. But I am not going to take that risk. Pollution is even more deadly than Covid-19," Ms Chauhan said.

In New Delhi, schools for multiple classes are reopening this week after being closed for over a week as pollution worsened to "severe" - the worst level on India's air quality index - around Diwali.

The city authorities earlier decided to reopen all classes at 50 per cent capacity from Nov 1 after prolonged closure due to Covid-19, with primary pupils out of school for 21 months.

But pollution disrupted that schedule, even as India has the distinction, says the World Health Organisation, of having the longest school closure in the world.

While many parents want their children back in school to make up for learning losses, worries remain over pollution and Covid-19.

India is yet to make a decision on vaccinating children.

"Parents are constantly living with fear. First, it was Covid-19 and now we are back to air pollution. It's not easy on kids, parents or school management," said Ms Bhavreen Kandhari, an environmentalist and member of Warrior Moms, a group of mothers who raise awareness about pollution.

Her twin daughters, who will soon turn 18, will be returning to school this week for school-leaving exams, crucial for entry to college. "They have been breathing this 'poison' non-stop," she said.

New Delhi, home to some 20 million people, is one of the world's most polluted cities. It experienced the worst level of pollution in recent years this month, with air quality in the "severe" category for 11 days, according to India's Central Pollution Control Board.

Pollution remains in the "poor" category, with the city in a shroud of grey, particularly in the morning and evening. This is due to different types of pollution - from vehicular pollution and burning of waste to industrial pollution. In winter, it is exacerbated by cold weather trapping pollutants.

Levels of PM2.5 - very fine particulate matter that measures 2.5 microns or less in diameter and is linked to chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart diseases - are multiple times over the safe limit.

A Health Effects Institute report last year assessed that air pollution could be largely responsible for the deaths of 120,000 infants in their first month of life in India.

Another study of 4,300 children aged between 13 and 17 by the Lung Care Foundation found that one out of three children in New Delhi had impaired lung function.

Still, life goes on for many.

"The focus for us is on exams," said 17-year-old Bhavya Mohindroo, who is sitting his school-leaving exams next week. "Covid-19 happened and then pollution happened. Everything fun about school has been taken away."