New Delhi [India], November 22 (ANI): Doctor Avi Kumar, a senior Pulmonology consultant at Fortis Escorts hospital, has welcomed the restriction of outdoor activities for school children while Delhi's air quality continues to deteriorate in the winter months.

Stating that the combination of cold and pollution is lethal, the doctor has recommended delaying school timings to let children avoid the early morning cold.

'The mixture of cold and pollution is quite lethal. It's a very good decision by the Supreme Court to restrict outdoor activities for children. Early morning hours should also be avoided. The school opening should be delayed for some time till the cold settles down,' the doctor told ANI on Friday.

Dr Kumar mentioned that the winter season has seen an increase in infections and viruses, with new strains on the rise which affect young children and the elderly.

'This season, the pollution and cold are giving rise to new strains of flu viruses, and viral infections are on the rise, especially among young children and the elderly,' he added.

Earlier on November 21, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said that the government has issued a notice to schools to suspend outdoor activities and sports events amid rising air pollution in the national capital, following concerns raised by the Supreme Court over the deteriorating air quality.

Speaking to ANI, Sood said this decision was taken following concerns expressed by the Supreme Court. He added that the Delhi government has also postponed a sports Mahakumbh.

'After the concern expressed by the Supreme Court and the order that, for the next one to two months, as a precautionary measure, outdoor activities for small children should not be conducted. Following this, the Delhi government has issued a notice. We were going to organise a huge sports Mahakumbh in Delhi. Due to these guidelines, it has been postponed. Such activities will not be conducted in Delhi until new instructions are issued,' the Delhi Education Minister said.

Earlier, the Supreme Court stated that matters concerning air pollution must be listed monthly.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas earlier urged state governments and the Delhi government to postpone physical sports competitions scheduled for November and December, citing prevailing air quality trends.

In compliance with observations of the Supreme Court, the CAQM convened a consultative meeting with representatives from the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, NCR State Governments, the Sports Authority of India, and officials from State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

Delhi's air quality persisted in the 'very poor' category, recording an average AQI of 359 on Saturday morning, according to data from the Air Quality Early Warning System. Despite recording a slight improvement from the average of 364 AQI recorded on Friday, a layer of toxic smog continued to envelope parts of the city early in the morning. (ANI)