New Delhi, Nov 19 – Nearly 182 million children aged three to four in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are missing out on adequate nurturing care, putting their healthy development at risk, according to a new paper published in The Lancet journal.

The study highlights how emerging environmental threats, such as air pollution, climate change, and chemical exposure, are further compromising child development. Researchers from the Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC), New Delhi, contributed to the study, which builds on the concept of the “first 1,000 days” of life, from conception to two years old, and emphasizes the importance of the “next 1,000 days” (ages two to five) in fostering early childhood growth.

This critical window of development often goes unaddressed, as fewer than one in three children in LMICs aged three or four participate in early childhood care and education (ECCE) programs. The study urges greater investment in this stage of childhood development, particularly by improving access to high-quality ECCE services. These programs, the researchers argue, should focus on providing trained teachers, child-centered play, and responsive, stimulating classroom environments.

Aditi Roy, Senior Research Scientist at CCDC, told PTI that India’s major concern is ensuring equitable access to quality ECCE. She emphasized the need for a holistic, activity-based curriculum that aligns with the National Education Policy’s recommendations, as opposed to traditional rote learning.

Data on ECCE attendance in India remains inconsistent. The 2022 government report showed that 28.58 million children aged 3-6 were enrolled in early childhood education through the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). However, private pre-schools, which are on the rise, often lack regulation and may have questionable quality.

Roy further noted that the National Family Household Survey (NFHS-5) data from the 2019-2020 school year may not accurately reflect the current situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the ongoing NFHS-6 survey may provide more recent insights.

According to the study, providing one year of ECCE for all children in LMICs would cost less than 0.15% of their GDP, while the benefits could be 8-19 times the cost. Catherine Draper, Co-chair of the series from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, said that while LMICs have been underrepresented in early childhood research, the study stresses the urgent need to provide these children with the care they need to thrive.

The authors also underscore that ECCE programs offer more than just education: they include growth monitoring, food assistance, nutrition supplements, and caregiver support—critical elements for fostering healthy development. Furthermore, air pollution and climate change are identified as growing threats. Air pollution directly affects children’s physical development and disrupts education, while extreme weather events caused by climate change, such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, undermine food security and economic stability, all of which harm child development.

Roy pointed out that while the impact of climate change on early childhood education is not yet being addressed in policy discussions, it is essential to integrate ECCE into climate action plans to safeguard future development.

NEW DELHI, Nov 19: In light of the escalating air pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday stated that judges have been instructed to permit virtual hearings wherever feasible. This decision aims to mitigate the impact of the severe pollution levels choking the region.

The announcement was made as a bench comprising the CJI and Justice Sanjay Kumar convened, with senior lawyers, including Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Kapil Sibal, highlighting the deteriorating air quality and urging immediate measures.

“We have told all the judges to allow virtual hearings wherever possible,” said the CJI, emphasizing that lawyers already have the option to appear online.

Sibal called for a broader message to be sent to other courts and tribunals in the national capital to adopt similar measures, stressing, “The pollution is getting out of control.” This plea was supported by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, among others.

Mehta suggested that the Supreme Court itself should fully transition to virtual hearings as a matter of principle. However, the CJI maintained, “The way we are functioning today, if anybody wants to be online, they can go online.”

Sankaranarayanan pointed out that nearly 10,000 lawyers commute to the Supreme Court daily, often using private vehicles, contributing to the pollution crisis. The CJI reiterated that the option for virtual appearances is already available, adding, “We will accommodate everyone.”

The discussion comes as Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) hit a season-high of 484 on Monday, with some areas breaching the 500 mark, placing the city in the “severe plus” pollution category. In response, the Supreme Court directed Delhi-NCR states to deploy teams to strictly enforce restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) IV, which remains in effect until further notice.

On the administrative side, the Supreme Court has issued a circular advising staff to wear masks and take preventive health measures due to the hazardous air quality. The implementation of GRAP-IV, which includes bans on construction activities and restrictions on non-essential vehicular movement, was triggered after pollution levels worsened over the weekend.

“Everyone is, therefore, advised to ensure the wearing of a mask and taking preventive health measures,” stated the circular issued by the apex court assistant registrar.

The court’s initiative to encourage virtual hearings is seen as a pragmatic step to reduce commuting-related emissions while ensuring the continuation of judicial processes.