A view of an empty classroom in a school after Delhi authorities directed all schools to move classes online after Delhi's air quality turned "hazardous" due to alarming air pollution and smog, in New Delhi, India.
Credit: Reuters Photo
New Delhi: MCD school teachers accused the administration of neglecting their health by forcing them to come to school to take online classes amid deteriorating air quality.
The implementation of stage four of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was announced in the city on Sunday after the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed the 400 mark, signalling "severe" pollution levels.
As part of the measures, the Delhi government ordered the closure of schools, with online classes replacing physical sessions to protect students from the hazardous air.
However, teachers allege that the closure applies only to students, leaving them to commute daily despite conducting online classes.
This has sparked criticism from the Shikshak Nyay Manch, a teachers' association, which called the move contradictory and harmful.
"Even after the implementation of GRAP Stage four, teachers are being called to schools every day, forcing over two lakh vehicles onto the roads and worsening pollution," said association president, Kuldeep Singh Khatri.
"When there are no students in schools, what is the need for teachers to be physically present? During the pandemic, online teaching was conducted successfully from home. Why can't it be done now?" he added.
The association accused the government of misinterpreting the Supreme Court's orders to close schools.
"The Delhi government and corporation officials need to evaluate their decisions. Are the lungs of teachers made of steel?" Khatri added, questioning why teacher's health is being overlooked.
GRAP stage III had earlier mandated the closure of primary schools, but teachers allege that officials manipulated the orders, requiring them to conduct online classes from schools instead of home.
"Officials issued verbal orders forcing us to come to schools, creating unnecessary vehicular pollution," Khatri said.
Teachers have threatened to escalate their protest if work-from-home arrangements are not allowed. "If the government does not address this issue immediately, teachers will stop using their personal phones for online teaching and come to school without them," the association warned.
Delhi's AQI reached alarming levels with an AQI of 1060 on Monday far above the hazardous threshold, according to the Swiss air tech company IQAir.
Teachers argue that vehicular emissions from their commutes are counterproductive to the city's pollution control measures.
The Delhi government has yet to respond to the teachers' demands.
Meanwhile, the General Administration Department (GAD) on Monday issued an order declaring staggered timings for the government offices and the MCD, in view of severe air pollution situation in the city.
The order stated as per direction of the Lt Governor, staggered office timings as part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), will be followed by Delhi government and MCD offices.
The timings of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) offices will be 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, while that of Delhi government offices will be 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM. The staggered timings will be effective till February 28, 2025, it said.