Damaging students' lungs: Delhi High Court pulls up govt for holding sports events amid air pollution

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Delhi government's Department of Education on a plea seeking directions against holding outdoor sporting events in the national capital during pollution months [Nysa Bedi Vs Government of Delhi].

Justice Sachin Datta ordered the government to file its reply within four weeks and asked the government to consider rescheduling the annual sporting calendar from next year.

During the hearing, the Court pulled up the government for shirking its responsibility and not recognising the seriousness of the issue.

"School students cannot be called for damage to lungs. You are shirking your responsibility. Do you recognise that there is a problem in these months?" the Court said.

The Bench made the remark after Delhi Government's Standing Counsel Sameer Vashisht submitted that the students cannot be deprived of participation in sporting events due to air pollution.

The Court exhorted the Delhi Government to frame the annual calendar in a manner that a minimum number of sporting events are organised in the winter months when the pollution levels in the city are at its peak.

"You plan in a way for future years that there are minimal sports fixtures in these months. As far as Delhi is concerned, you must start your games immediately after Boards exams. They are asking only for next year. Don’t schedule events in this month. You have to amend your calendar accordingly," the Court stated.

The High Court was hearing a plea filed by a group of minor schoolchildren seeking directions to the Department of Education to frame the annual sports calendar in a manner ensuring that outdoor sports tournaments are not scheduled in Delhi during the peak air pollution months in winter season.

It has been stated that the authorities conduct zonal, inter-zonal, state and national-level outdoor sporting events at a time when Delhi’s air quality is verifiably and foreseeably ‘severe’ and ‘hazardous’.

According to the petitioners, this repeated scheduling forces children, recognised as a vulnerable group, to undertake strenuous physical activity in toxic air, violating their fundamental rights under Articles 21 and 21A of the Constitution.

Senior Advocate Shyel Trehan, appearing for the students, submitted that forcing children to stay outdoors when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is at threatening levels and asking them to take part in sports was destroying their lungs.

"They are destroying children’s lungs. This is shocking. They are criminally negligent. They have clustered all sporting activities in November," she said.

She apprised the Court of a pulmonologist's medical opinion and photographs evincing the effect of air pollution on his patient's lungs.

"My suggestion, Your Lordship, is that let them start in April. April is a dead month for sports. The air is good or better than we normally have," she stated.

In response to Trehan's submissions, Standing Counsel Vashisht stated that many of the sports are played indoors and that these months were earlier ideal for holding the competitions.

"These months used to be a treat in Delhi. Summers are harsh," he said.

Meanwhile, the High Court was also informed that the Supreme Court today directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider adding sporting activities to GRAP, the action plan designed to control activities in the city when the pollution rises.

The High Court said that it will hear the matter again on January 13, 2026.

Senior Advocate Shyel Trehan with advocates Manjira Dasgupta, Bhargav Ravindran Thali, Rohan Poddar, Mayank Khaitan and Vidhi Jain appeared for the petitioner parents.

Delhi Government's Standing Counsel Sameer Vashisht appeared for the Department of Education.

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