Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday raised concern over air pollution in the northern part of India, and termed it a “national emergency,” as the air quality continues from poor to severe according to the Air Quality Index in the region for the past few days.
Taking to social media platform X, the Rae Bareli MP highlighted that the situation was a “public health crisis” affecting the entire region, “stealing children’s future” and “suffocating the elderly.”
He further pointed out that the pollution was not only harming public health but also contributing to an environmental and economic disaster. He emphasised that the poorest sections of society are suffering the most, unable to escape the polluted air and noted that children are falling ill and many lives are being shortened due to exposure to the harmful air.
“Air pollution in North India is a national emergency–a public health crisis that is stealing our children’s future and suffocating the elderly, and an environmental and economic disaster that is ruining countless lives. The poorest among us suffer the most, unable to escape the toxic air that surrounds them. Families are gasping for clean air, children are falling sick, and millions of lives are being cut short,” Gandhi said on X.
Air pollution in North India is a national emergency—a public health crisis that is stealing our children’s future and suffocating the elderly, and an environmental and economic disaster that is ruining countless lives.
The poorest among us suffer the most, unable to escape the… pic.twitter.com/s5qx79E2xc
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 22, 2024
The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha also mentioned the decline in tourism and the negative effect on India’s global reputation, further calling for a collective response to the pollution crisis and urging governments, companies, experts, and citizens to work together to address the issue.
“Tourism is declining and our global reputation is crumbling. The cloud of pollution covers hundreds of kilometres. Cleaning it up will need major changes and decisive action–from governments, companies, experts and citizens. We need a collective national response, not political blame games,” he said.
With the winter session of the Parliament to begin in a few days, he reminded the parliamentarians of the urgent need to address the issue “once and for all.”
“As Parliament meets in a few days, MPs will all be reminded of the crisis by our irritated eyes and sore throats. It is our responsibility to come together and discuss how India can end this crisis once and for all,” the LoP further added.
On Friday, a thick layer of smog engulfed the national capital while the air quality index remained in the ‘very poor’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
At 7 am today, the CPCB recorded Delhi’s AQI at 371, which placed it in the ‘very poor’ category.
According to the CPCB data, the AQI measured at Chandni Chowk till 7 am was 359, IGI Airport (T3) 357, ITO 344, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 342, RK Puram 372, Okhla Phase 2 374, Patparganj 379, Sonia Vihar 400 and Aya Nagar 359. However, several places in Delhi are still in the ‘severe’ category for air pollution, with Anand Vihar recording an AQI of 410, Bawana 411, Mundka 402, and Wazirpur at 413
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