Short Description
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj criticizes Delhi CM Rekha Gupta’s handling of air pollution, urging experts to take charge as the city’s air quality plummets.
Read Time
3 minutes, 45 seconds
Main Article
In New Delhi, the deteriorating air quality has become a pressing concern, prompting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi unit President Saurabh Bharadwaj to publicly criticize Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Bharadwaj’s statements, delivered during an ANI interview, shed light on Gupta’s apparent lack of understanding of the Air Quality Index (AQI) and its implications. The air quality in Delhi escalated to a staggering AQI of 497, firmly placing it in the ‘severe’ category, which raises significant health alarms for the city’s residents.
Bharadwaj expressed skepticism over Gupta’s ability to address the pollution crisis effectively. He stated, “This government has been in power for almost a year,” emphasizing the need for knowledgeable leadership when it comes to critical environmental issues. With incidents of stubble burning now absent, residents are left to grapple with air quality issues exacerbated by smog and harmful pollutants. Bharadwaj called for experts in environmental health to take charge, suggesting that the Chief Minister should step back and listen to those with the requisite knowledge. This sentiment resonates particularly as many Delhi residents are reporting alarming symptoms, including breathing difficulties and eye irritation.
The impact of the rising AQI levels is particularly dangerous for vulnerable demographics such as children and the elderly. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI scale ranges from 0 to 500, categorizing pollution levels and associated health risks. With readings in the severe range, residents are justifiably concerned about their health and the long-term implications of such pollution levels. In response to the crisis, the Delhi Government’s Directorate of Education has mandated a hybrid mode of learning for grades IX and XI. This move adheres to the Commission for Air Quality Management’s invocation of Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which aims to mitigate the severe pollution crisis unsettling the city.
The deterioration of Delhi’s air quality must prompt action. The city’s environmental challenges, primarily rooted in vehicle emissions, industrial discharges, and construction dust, require concerted effort and expertise. With rising pollution levels pressing on public health and well-being, it is vital that leaders prioritize environmental issues alongside community response and education.
Short Summary
Delhi’s air quality crisis has drawn sharp criticism of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta from AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj, who urges leaders to defer to experts. With AQI at a severe level, the health of vulnerable populations is at risk, prompting urgent action for improvement.
